QUETTA: Five suspected militants were killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Mashkay tehsil of Awaran district on Sunday.

Official sources said the gunbattle took place in a mountainous area of Mashkay during a search operation launched by security personnel after the killing of a former militant leader who had surrendered to the authorities last month. Militants had attacked his house in Awaran a few days ago and killed him and his son.

Officials said that security forces moved into the area on a tip-off about the presence of armed men allegedly involved in the killing of the former militant leader and his son and launched a search operation.

The exchange of fire between the security forces and militants continued for several hours during which both sides used heavy weapons.

The officials said the militants belonged to the banned Baloch Liberation Front (Anwar Fida group).

Sources claimed that a huge cache of arms and ammunition, laptops and other items were found in the hideouts of the militants.

They said the search operation was continuing and more security personnel had been sent to the area.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2016