RAWALPINDI: Six security personnel, including an officer, were martyred and another one suffered injuries in an explosion in Buleda tehsil of Balochis­tan’s Kech district on Friday.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations, the personnel belonging to the FC South were returning to their base after conducting routine patrolling of a mountainous and extremely treacherous terrain of Makran when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device detonated by remote control, around 14km from the border with Iran.

The patrolling was conducted to check possible routes used by terrorists in the region.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Major Nadeem Abbas Bhatti, a resident of Hafizabad; Naik Jamshed (Mianwali); Lance Naik Taimoor of Taunsa Sharif; Lance Naik Khizar Hayat, who hailed from Attock; Sepoy Sajid, a resident of Mardan; and Sepoy Nadeem, who belonged to Taunsa Sharif.

Behram Baloch in Gwadar adds: According to reports, two labouers also lost their lives in theblast who were present on the site.

Security forces launched a search operation in the area after the incident to trace the elements involved in the terrorist attack.

No group claimed responsibility for the blast.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2020