QUETTA: Six suspected mili­tants and a soldier were killed and four other people injured in a clash in Mashkey area of Awaran district on Friday.

According to officials, personnel of security forces and an intelligence agency laun­ched a joint search operation in the mountainous area of Mashkey after receiving re­ports about presence of militants.

A heavy exchange of fire broke out between the two sides in the morning, resulting in the killing of six militants. “Heavy weapons were used from both sides till late in the evening,” a security official said, adding that a soldier had died and four others injured. The injured security men and the soldier’s body were brought to the Combined Military Hospital here by helicopter.

“The militants who were killed in the gunbattle belonged to a banned organisation and had been operating in the area since long,” security officials said, adding that a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including LMGs, SMGs and grenades, had been seized during the operation.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2016