A bomb exploded near a bus carrying security forces in Pakistan’s restive southwestern region of Balochistan’s Naushki. The incident is reported to have killed 5 security personnel, injuring 10 others.
Pakistan security forces killed in Naushki, Balochistan: Five officers were killed and 10 others were injured as a roadside bomb exploded near a bus carrying security forces in restive southwestern Pakistan on Sunday, said police. The attack occurred in Naushki, a district in Balochistan, said Zafar Zamanani, a local police chief. The dead and wounded were transported to a nearby hospital.
Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister of Balochistan, condemned the attack.
BLA likely to be blamed for the attack
While no one claimed the responsibility of the attack immediately, suspicion is likely to fall on the Baloch Liberation Army, which days ago ambushed a train, took about 400 people on board hostage and killed 26 hostages before security forces launched an operation and killed all the 33 attackers.
Oil-and mineral-rich Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest and least populated province. Ethnic Baloch residents have long accused the central government of discrimination — a charge Islamabad denies. Baloch Liberation Army has been demanding independence from the central government.
Nine militants, two security personnel killed in Kyber Pakhtunkhwa
Earlier, at least nine militants and two security personnel were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an ISPR statement said on Saturday. Seven terrorists were killed when security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Mohmand district on Friday night, the ISPR said.
However, two soldiers were also killed during the intense fire exchange, the statement said.
Two terrorists killed in Maddi area of Dera Ismail Khan district
In another encounter in the Maddi area of the Dera Ismail Khan district, two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire between security personnel and militants, the statement said.
The ISPR said weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the possession of the killed militants, who were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities across the province.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities recently, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, after the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
(With inputs from AP)
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