QUETTA: At least three suspected militants and a soldier of the Frontier Corps were killed in a gunbattle in Gidder and Mehrab areas, some 160km south of here on Friday.

One soldier was injured in the heavy exchange of fire between security forces and militants that continued for several hours. Security forces have also seized illegal arms and ammunition during operation.

A spokesman for Frontier Corps Balochistan said that FC troops and intelligence personnel jointly launched search operation on information about the presence of armed militants in the area.The armed men sitting on the mountains opened fire on the security forces, killing an FC soldier and injuring another. Security forces also took position and retaliated. “Heavy gun battle continued for at least two hours that claimed three lives of militants,” a spokesman for FC said, adding that the injured soldier was moved to the hospital and later shifted to Quetta.

The dead and injured FC personnel had been identified as Muhammad Yousaf and Sibtain respectively.

Security forces have launched an operation in the area after the incident and took some people into custody who are being interrogated.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2015

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