QUETTA, Jan 9: Five explosions rocked Kalat and Hub areas of the province on Monday while paramilitary forces and insurgents fought pitched battles in the Margat coalmine area of Bolan district.
Three powerful blasts hit the Kalat township at brief intervals. The blasts were triggered by home-made bombs which were planted in a football stadium close to the Frontier Corps Mess and the DCO’s office.
The window panes of the FC Mess, DCO offices and other nearby government buildings and houses were smashed. Official sources, however, confirmed only one blast even though residents of the township had heard three loud explosions.
Two equally intense blasts were reported from the industrial town of Hub. The first blast damaged a part of the wall of a police station. Another blast occurred near the coast guard office in Hub.
Local-made devices were used in both the explosions, police sources said. However, no casualty was reported in any of the explosions in Kalat and Hub.
Meanwhile, there was a heavy exchange of fire between security forces and insurgents in Margat coalmine area. Rockets and mortars were used in the battle.
The insurgents reported some casualties in the fighting when paramilitary forces began lobbing rockets and missiles from their positions.
However, official sources did not confirm any casualty so far and added that action against outlaws was continuing in Margat and Narwar areas of Bolan district.
A spokesman for the Baloch Liberation Army, Azad Baloch, said the armed tribesmen had dug in their heels and were putting up a strong resistance against security forces in the Margat area.
The spokesman told reporters that the BLA had engaged the Frontier Corps in a fire-fight in Mand, an area situated close to the country’s border with Iran. However, FC sources disputed the claim and said that no such clash had taken place in the area in the last 24 hours.
Reports from Dera Bugti said that no firing incident had taken place in any area of Dera Bugti district and township on Monday.
