QUETTA: At least eleven people were killed during an armed clash between two groups in Balochistan's Turbat area on Monday afternoon, an official said.

Akbar Durrani, the Home Secretary Balochistan, told Dawn armed groups clashed with each other in the Bal Gitar area of Turbat. He said eleven people were killed during the armed clash that lasted for more than one hour.

Another security official, who requested anonymity, told Dawn that armed militants attacked the convoy of Yaqoob Balgatheri, a militant commander in the Bil Gitar area of Hoshap.

He said the militants killed Yaqoob Balgatheri, Mulla Fazal, and their nine other colleagues during the exchange of fire.

"Yaqoob's group retaliated but they suffered casualties," he added. Both sides used heavy weapons against each other during the clash.

The assailants took away weapons and set ablaze the vehicles of Yaqoob's group.

Levies personnel reached the spot and launched an investigation into the incident. "The assailants belonged to a defunct Baloch separatist group," the security official said.

The situation was tense in the aftermath of the tragic incident, he added, saying that more security personnel were called in to the area to bring the situation under control.

Turbat is considered to be one of the sensitive areas of Balochistan, plagued by violent attacks by Baloch separatists and sectarian outfits.

In Turbat, Baloch separatists have been targeting security forces and pro-government personalities for more than a decade.