QUETTA, March 28: At least one person is reported to have been killed in heavy fighting between paramilitary forces and militants in Kohlu district on Tuesday. Sources said that security forces had launched the attack using helicopter gunships to eliminate hideouts of Marri militants.

They said that a 10-year-old boy, Mohammed Ali, was killed in the attack in the Kahan area while his mother and younger brother were injured.

“Helicopter gunships shelled different areas throughout the day,” an elder of the Marri tribe said on telephone. He also claimed that some jet fighters had also bombed the areas.

He said that heavy weapons were being used in the attack in Tartani, Bhambhoor, Peshi, Parai and Nal areas, adding that security forces had suffered heavy casualties in Fazal Chal and Karmo-Wadh, where armed tribesmen had returned fire.

Official sources confirmed clashes between paramilitary forces in different areas of the troubled district but denied suffering any casualty in the fresh action.

Meanwhile, Dera Bugti nazim Kazim Bugti said that a gas well in the Pirkoh field had been set on fire, adding that the well had been damaged by militants two weeks ago.

Militants had set on fire gas leaking from the well for the past two weeks, Kazim Bugti said in a facsimile message received here on Tuesday night. He said that the flames could be seen from miles away.

He also claimed that the Darbar Wali shrine was attacked in the Dera Bugti area.

“Jet fighters dropped at least nine bombs in the area, damaging the shrine’s guest-house and several nearby buildings.”

He said that at least eight security personnel had either been killed or injured in the Gori area, where armed tribesmen had returned fire.

The Dera Bugti nazim called upon the government to stop the operation in Marri-Bugti areas and re-activate the parliamentary committee on Balochistan.

He said that thousands of people had already moved to different areas and were suffering enormous difficulties.