QUETTA: At least 30 suspected Baloch militants were killed in a fierce clash with Frontier Corps in Darnjan Nullah area of Sui in Dera Bugti district on Thursday.

The claim was made by Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti at a press conference here. He was accompanied by Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani and FC spokesman Khan Wasey.

A spokesman for the outlawed Baloch Republican Army (BRA) confirmed the gunbattle and said seven of its fighters and a commander had been killed. He claimed that security forces also suffered severe losses.

The home minister said that two days ago BRA militants had attacked and killed two personnel of Sindh Rangers and injured seven others in Kandhkot area of Sindh, near the border with Balochistan, and fled to Balochistan.

Eight hideouts of militants have been destroyed in the ongoing fighting

He said that on the basis of a tip-off the Frontier Corps was carrying out a search for suspects in Darnjan area in the morning when BRA militants opened fire and killed a non-commissioned officer. Seven soldiers were injured.

The minister said that FC personnel returned fire. Both sides used heavy weapons in the exchange of fire.

“FC personnel killed 30 militants of BRA,” he claimed. Two important BRA commanders, identified as Sattar and Bokhalani, were among the dead.

Mr Bugti said FC Inspector General Maj Gen Ejaz Shahid had supervised the action against militants.

The non-commissioned FC officer killed by the militants was identified as Noor Hussain.

Mr Bugti said the gunbattle was continuing in the area, adding that at least eight militant hideouts in the rugged mountainous area had been destroyed and a large quantity of explosives and arms and ammunition had been recovered.

Answering a question, the home minister said the bodies of two BRA commanders were in the custody of FC. He added that the militants killed in the clash were involved in attacks on security forces.

They destroyed railway tracks and gas pipelines and attacked various places with bombs. Four of them were identified as Wahid, Qurban, Zahid and Marhata.

He said the documents and other literatures found in the hideouts suggested that the militants were supported by neighbouring countries.

Local people said the gunbattle was continuing and helicopters were hovering over the area.

According to AFP, the minister said the forces also freed two local Bugti men kidnapped for ransom by the militants.

Calling from an unspecified place on satellite phone, BRA spokesman Sarbaz Baloch claimed that 22 security personnel, including two officers, were killed in the clash. According to him, a helicopter was targeted and damaged.

But officials said only one officer had lost his life and seven soldiers suffered injuries.

They were taken to the Combined Military Hospital in a helicopter.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2014