QUETTA: Four suspected militants were killed and a senior leader of a banned organisation was injured in a gunbattle with security forces in Chattar area of Nasirabad district on Saturday. The injured militant leader and 13 other suspected militants were taken into custody.

According to official sources, personnel of Frontier Corps launched a search operation in the area close to Dera Bugti and Lehri districts after a tip-off about the presence of militants.

After cordoning off the area, the personnel were searching houses when militants opened fire on them. The personnel returned fire and the gunbattle continued for several hours.

A senior security official said that the militants belonged to the banned Baloch Liberation Army. He identified the injured militant leader as Sabzal Bugti.

The hideouts of the militants were destroyed.

He said the militants were allegedly involved in attacks on security forces, target killings, and bomb attacks on Sui installations.

Meanwhile, personnel of FC and intelligence agencies conducted raids in Turbat, Panjgur and Quetta and taken nine suspects into custody, including a senior leader of a banned organisation.

A spokesperson for FC said that five suspects were arrested in a raid on a house in Tump area of Turbat.

The leader of the banned organisation was arrested in Garmakan area of Panjgur district. Five sub-machine guns, three rifles and hundreds of rounds were found in his possession.

Three suspects were arrested in a raid on a house in an area on the outskirts of Quetta.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2016