QUETTA: Thirteen militants were killed and several others injured in a clash with security forces in the Mashkey area of Awaran district on Tuesday.

One solider of Frontier Corps was also killed and two other troops were injured in the exchange of fire.

Official sources claimed that ‘Commander’ Safar Khan, a brother of chief of the banned Baloch Liberation Front Dr Allah Nazar, his nephew Shehik and Comma­nder Khan were among the dead, while Shahjahan and Balaach Khan were injured.

Spokesman of the Frontier Corps, Balochistan, Khan Wasey, said in a statement the FC had launched an operation in search of militants involved in killing seven people in Kapur area and kidnapping 17 women and 30 children in Mahi area.

The exchange of fire took place when militants opened fire and the troops counter-attacked.

“The heavy gunbattle continued for several hours, resulting in the death of 13 militants and injuries to several others,” the FC spokesman said.

An FC soldier was killed and two others were injured in the clash, he added.

The FC troops freed the kidnapped women and children and killed a suspected militant identified as Abdus Salam.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play