Two militants killed, several security personnel injured in Turbat

FC official says, a convoy of paramilitary troops was on its way to Turbat when a group of armed men opened fire

QUETTA: Two militants were killed and several security personnel were injured in a deadly clash between Frontier Corps (FC) and Baloch militants in Nasirabad, 25 kilometres west of Turbat in Kech district, on Thursday.

According to an FC official, a convoy of paramilitary troops was on its way to Mand from Turbat when a group of armed men opened fire on them.

“Several security personnel were injured in the attack. Two militants were killed after FC personnel retaliated,” the official told The Express Tribune.

Local sources claimed two security personnel were also killed in the attack. However, an FC official denied these claims, saying no deaths of security personnel were reported.

The FC official added that security forces have launched a massive search operation in the area. The exchange of fire between militants and security forces is still underway.

The local administration was found unaware of the incident when The Express Tribune called the Balochistan Levies Thana in Turbat.

Later today, spokesperson of the banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) Guharam Baloch claimed responsibility for the attack saying several security personnel were killed.

Talking to local reporters in Quetta from an undisclosed location, Guharam said the killings were in retaliation to the attack by security forces on the residence of a BLF commander in Turbat in which two BLF fighters were killed.

“BLF carried out the attack and later there was an exchange of fire. Several security personnel were killed,” Guharam told the reporters through satellite phone.

However, an FC spokesperson denied that any security personnel had been killed in the attack. “Five security personnel were injured and one FC soldier is in critical condition,” an FC spokesperson said, adding that two militants were killed in the exchange of fire.