QUETTA: Two security personnel were martyred in an attack on a Levies checkpoint in Mastung district while a policeman was injured and a suspected terrorist killed in an exch­ange of fire in the border town of Chaman on Tue­sday.

According to Levies officials, unknown armed men attacked a checkpoint in Babri area of Mastung early in the morning. They opened indiscriminate fire at a post manned by two levies personnel. The Levies men returned the fire.

But two personnel were martyred as the assailants fired bursts of heavy automatic weapons at their position.

The attackers, while escaping from the scene, took away the official weapons.

“We have lost two soldiers in the terrorist attack,” Assistant Comm­issioner of Mastung , Barkat Baloch, told Dawn.

The dead were identified as Manzoor Ahmed and Muhammad Aslam.

Their bodies were handed over to the heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities.

“Security forces have launched a search operation in the area to trace out the attackers,” Mr Baloch said.

The people of nearby areas blocked the National Highway to condemn the incident. But they reopened the road after some time and allowed traffic to move freely.

Meanwhile, an armed man was killed and a police constable injured in an exchange of fire in the border town of Chaman.

Two armed men riding motorcycles opened fire on police personnel guarding the Chaman Press Club.

The policemen immediately took position and returned the fire, killing one attacker while sustaining injuries. The other armed man, however, managed to flee, abandoning his motor­cycle.

Balochistan Chief Min­ister Mir Abdul Qud­oos Bizenjo condemned the incidents in Mastung and Chaman, saying the recent acts of terrorism were a cause for concern. “The enemy wants to destroy peaceful environment of the province.”

Published in Dawn, February 22th, 2023