QUETTA: At least 13 suspected militants of a banned organisation, including two ‘commanders’, were killed in clashes with security forces in Kohlu and Kech districts on Monday.

Official sources said that personnel of Frontier Corps and intelligence agencies were conducting a search operation on information about presence of militants in mountainous area of Nasau in Kohlu district when militants started firing on them.

FC and intelligence personnel returned fire and ensuing gunbattle continued for several hours, resulting in the death of 12 militants of the banned Baloch Liberation Army.

“Yes, 12 militants of BLA were killed in gunbattle,” FC spokesman Khan Wasey said, adding that commanders Jamir Khan and Baloch Khan were among the dead. “Forces were continuing the operation against remaining militants in the area,” he said.

Arms and ammunitions were found in the militants’ hideouts.

In another operation carried out by security forces in Tump area of Kech district, one militant was killed in an exchange of fire and four suspected militants were arrested,” Khan Wasey said. The suspects are being interrogated.

There are also reports about a search operation under way in different areas of Bolan district, a senior security official told Dawn.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2016