QUETTA, July 8: A Rangers soldier was killed and two others were injured in an attack on a checkpost on the Sui-Kashmoor road on Saturday.

According to reports reaching here, power supply was suspended to Sui and Dera Bugti areas after three power supply pylons of the Sui-Kashmore transmission line were blown up.

Sources said that security forces carried out attacks on militants’ hideouts and camps in different areas of Dera Bugti after a day’s interval.

Meanwhile, a caller claiming to be a spokeman for Bugti tribe militants, said that 17 security personnel had been killed and six others were injured in a gunbattle in the Sangsilla area. Identifying himself as Wadera Alam Khan, he told this correpsondent that security forces, backed by gunship helicopters had failed to land FC commandos in the Sangsilla area. However, he said, some troops had landed in another area where security forces suffered huge losses.

Official sources in Dera Bugti denied the claims and said that security forces had successfully conducted an operation and destroyed some more hideouts of the Bugti tribesmen. “Security forces suffered no human losses in the operation,” a senior government official said.

Officials said that a soldier of the Punjab Rangers was killed after tribesmen attacked a checkpost of the Punjab Rangers set up on the Sui-Kashmore road. The soldier was identified as Nawazish Ali. Two more Rangers troops were injured.

The sources said that the attackers escaped after security forces returned fire.

“Areas around Sui and Dera Bugti towns are without electricity,” an official of the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) said.

He said that three power transmission pylons had been blown up with high-explosive material. He said that efforts were being made to replace the destroyed towers but it would take some time to restore supply.

According to another report, a security forces’ vehicle hit a landmine in the Gadi area of the Dera Bugti district. No casualty was reported.

Heavy firing was also reported from Toba Nokhani and Loti gas field areas.