15 BLF militants killed in Kharan gunfight
One soldier killed and three wounded
15 Baloch separatists and a paramilitary soldier were killed in a gunfight in a remote district of the restive Balochistan province on Tuesday, February 10. PHOTO: AFP
QUETTA:
At least 15 Baloch separatists and a paramilitary soldier were killed in a gunfight in a remote district of the restive Balochistan province Tuesday morning.
The gunfight took place in Basima tehsil of Kharan district and the dead separatists belonged to a banned outfit, Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), a spokesperson for the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) told The Express Tribune.
Giving details, the spokesperson said the security forces were conducting a search operation in Khori village of Basima when armed men opened fire on them. “A group of men armed with heavy weapons opened fire at an approaching FC vehicle in the area,” he added. “As a result, one soldier was killed and three were wounded,” he added.
The security forces retaliated, triggering an hours-long gunfight. At least 15 militants were killed in the firefight and later they were identified as members of the banned Baloch Liberation Front, he added.
“The dead militants were involved in carrying out attacks on the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and hindering development projects in Basima and other areas,” the spokesperson said. The FC media cell had released the images of three dead militants – two of them appeared to be in their early 50s. The death toll could not be confirmed independently.
In a related development, at least nine Baloch militants surrendered to the paramilitary Sibi Scouts on Tuesday, according to the FC spokesman.
The militants belonging to a banned group were involved in anti-state activities for years. “They surrendered in the presence of Commandant Sibi Scouts Colonel Hassan Raza Zaidi,” he added. “They laid down their arms and vowed to live peacefully as law-abiding citizens.”
The militants thanked the provincial government for announcing amnesty for militants, according to a press release. “They were involved in blowing up power pylons, railway tracks, and attacks on development projects in Nasirabad region.”
IGFC Maj Gen Shirafgani appreciated the militants’ decision to lay down their arms. “The FC will encourage those militants who live as law-abiding citizen,” he added. He claimed that Balochistan was limping back to normalcy as peace was speedily restored across the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2015.
At least 15 Baloch separatists and a paramilitary soldier were killed in a gunfight in a remote district of the restive Balochistan province Tuesday morning.
The gunfight took place in Basima tehsil of Kharan district and the dead separatists belonged to a banned outfit, Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), a spokesperson for the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) told The Express Tribune.
Giving details, the spokesperson said the security forces were conducting a search operation in Khori village of Basima when armed men opened fire on them. “A group of men armed with heavy weapons opened fire at an approaching FC vehicle in the area,” he added. “As a result, one soldier was killed and three were wounded,” he added.
The security forces retaliated, triggering an hours-long gunfight. At least 15 militants were killed in the firefight and later they were identified as members of the banned Baloch Liberation Front, he added.
“The dead militants were involved in carrying out attacks on the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and hindering development projects in Basima and other areas,” the spokesperson said. The FC media cell had released the images of three dead militants – two of them appeared to be in their early 50s. The death toll could not be confirmed independently.
In a related development, at least nine Baloch militants surrendered to the paramilitary Sibi Scouts on Tuesday, according to the FC spokesman.
The militants belonging to a banned group were involved in anti-state activities for years. “They surrendered in the presence of Commandant Sibi Scouts Colonel Hassan Raza Zaidi,” he added. “They laid down their arms and vowed to live peacefully as law-abiding citizens.”
The militants thanked the provincial government for announcing amnesty for militants, according to a press release. “They were involved in blowing up power pylons, railway tracks, and attacks on development projects in Nasirabad region.”
IGFC Maj Gen Shirafgani appreciated the militants’ decision to lay down their arms. “The FC will encourage those militants who live as law-abiding citizen,” he added. He claimed that Balochistan was limping back to normalcy as peace was speedily restored across the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2015.