GWADAR: A soldier was martyred and seven others were injured in a landmine explosion and subsequent ambush by armed militants in the Jiwani area of Gwadar district.

According to officials, Coast Guards personnel were travelling in their vehicle when it hit a landmine in the Duran area on Saturday.

After the blast, armed men on motorcycles ambushed the vehicle and opened fire. The martyred soldier has been identified as Sameer.

Hafiz Baloch, a senior police officer at the Jiwani police station said that the martyred and injured were moved to a nearby hospital.

A search operation has been launched in the area to arrest the attackers.

Last week, a Levies soldier and a police constable were martyred in two separate armed attacks in Bolan and Kalat areas.

In the first attack, unidentified armed men opened fire on a check post of Levies Force, martyring soldier Khalid Hussain Kurd.

In the second attack, armed miscreants on motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire on a police patrol vehicle at the main highway near Mughalzai area. The firing left three policemen injured, while constable Nazeer Ahmed Bangulzai embra­ced martyrdom while being taken to Quetta for treatment.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2023