QUETTA: Four suspected militants were killed while five others were arrested after an exchange of fire with security forces in the Uch area of Dera Bugti district on Friday.

Official sources said that personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) and intelligence had launched a search operation on a tip-off about the presence of militants in Uch.

They said that armed militants opened fire on the security forces from their hideouts using automatic weapons. The security forces immediately returned fire.

“A heavy exchange of fire continued for at least two hours in which four militants were killed,” said a security official, adding that during the operation five militants were also taken into custody.

The officials claimed that nine hideouts of the militants were demolished during the search operation.

“The militants belong to a banned outfit which has been involved in attacks on the gas line installations and security forces,” official sources claimed.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2017