Pakistani Army announces killing of one soldier and 19 militants in Balochistan

Islamabad, 23 Sep (KUNA) -- The Pakistani army announced on Wednesday that one soldier and 19 militants were killed in security forces' search operations in various areas of the southwestern province of Balochistan.

The army's public relations department stated in a statement that intelligence agencies reported the presence of several militant hideouts in the Shaban area of Quetta district in Balochistan, which posed a "threat to local residents."

The statement added that "in order to protect residents and clear the area" of militants, security forces launched a search operation in Shaban, where they successfully engaged and cleared several militant hideouts.

It confirmed the killing of 13 militants so far following intense clashes, and noted that weapons, ammunition, and explosives were seized from the controlled hideouts.

In separate operations, the statement indicated that security forces conducted preemptive operations based on intelligence information in the Kech and West Quetta districts, resulting in the killing of six militants after intense exchanges of fire, while one security personnel was killed during the firefight.

(END) S.B.K / M.A.A.