QUETTA: Four suspected militants and a Frontier Corps soldier were killed in a gunbattle in Sonari area of Khuzdar district on Friday.

According to official sources, several suspected militants were taken into custody during the clash and a huge quantity of arms and ammunitions and vehicles were seized. Some of the vehicles seized had been snatched by militants from Levies personnel recently.

They said the FC personnel launched a search operation in the area on a tip-off that a militant camp existed in Sonari area near Naal. As the troops were moving to the area, militants opened fire on them. The FC personnel retaliated and a shootout continued for several hours.

A spokesperson for Frontier Corps claimed that the four suspects killed in the clash belonged to the banned Baloch Liberation Front.

He identified them as ‘commander’ Sattar Ilyas Malik, Sabzal, Dad Mohammad and Amanullah and said they were involved in kidnappings for ransom, targeted killings and other heinous crimes.

The FC spokesperson, however, did not mention the killing of the soldier in the clash.

According to sources, gunmen had attacked a convoy of Levies Force a few months ago and taken away their weapons and at least two vehicles.

In a separate development, the FC personnel claimed to have captured an important militant leader in Rakhni area of Bakhan district on Friday.

FC officials identified the militant leader as Nisaruddin Marri and said he was caught during a search operation.

They claimed that Nisaruddin Marri was a key figure of the proscribed United Baloch Army.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2015

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