QUETTA, Feb 4: Saboteurs on Saturday blew up a pipeline supplying gas to the Loti gas plant for the second time in 10 days and rained down a deadly barrage of rockets on Sui township.
At least three people, including a defence security guard, were killed in Saturday’s attacks. Officials said that two civilians were killed in Sui town when a rocket struck their house in the township.
Sui was plunged into darkness after the rocket blitz that began at 6.30pm. “The rockets were fired from Mohan area, some 20 kilometres of Sui,” officials told Dawn.
“More casualties could not be ruled out as many houses were damaged in the attack in PPL Colony, Bugti Colony and Bogra Colony,” said the DCO in Dera Bugti, Abdul Samad Lasi.
Three rockets exploded near the house of the district coordination officer in Sui.
The gas pipeline was ruptured at three different points after the saboteurs set off explosions there. “A 60-foot pipeline was destroyed as armed men blew up the pipeline at three points,” official sources told Dawn by telephone from Sui.
Gas supply to Loti gas purification plant was suspended following the attack.
Provincial Home Minister Mir Shoaib Nusherwani said that saboteurs had directly targeted the civilian population of Sui and Dera Bugti and fired around 400 rockets. They also tried to destroy the FC fort and Sui gas plant and attacked a FC convoy injuring two FC personnel.
ONE KILLED: One man was killed and three others, including two FC men, were injured when a rocket exploded on the outskirts of Dera Bugti as heavy fighting between security forces and Bugti tribesmen continued.
The victim was identified as Mohammad Hashim Jaffari.
“Most residents have moved to safer places due to heavy fighting in Dera Bugti,” eyewitness Abdul Nabi Bugti told this correspondent by telephone.
He said that fighter jets had been seen flying over the township and dropping bombs.
Mr Lasi said that FC personnel had seized control of Peshi area after smashing a camp of outlaws.s
