6 Security Personnel and 21 Militants Killed in Southwestern Pakistan

Islamabad, Jan 9 (KUNA) -- The Pakistani military announced on Tuesday the killing of six security personnel, including two officers, alongside 21 militants in a gunfight in Balochistan province in the southwest of the country. The military’s Public Relations Department said in a statement that militants attempted to disrupt traffic along the highway connecting Quetta and Taftan by setting up an illegal checkpoint to extort travelers. Security forces responded immediately, and after an intense exchange of fire, they managed to kill 11 militants. The statement added that a group of militants launched another coordinated attack in an attempt to breach the provincial customs building. Security forces responded effectively, and following a heavy exchange of fire, they killed 10 militants. Security forces also engaged fleeing militants, resulting in further casualties among them. It noted that, in return, six security personnel, including two officers and a government employee from the customs administration, were killed in the gunfights. (End) S.B.K./M.A.A.