QUETTA, Jan 10: A Frontier Corps man was killed and two others injured in a gunbattle between tribesmen and security forces in the Loti gasfield area on Tuesday while a heavy exchange of fire was reported from the Dera Bugti township.

According to sources, the fighting erupted in the afternoon when an attack was launched on the gasfield.

“One FC man was killed and two others wounded seriously,” official sources said confirming the heavy fighting in the area.

Sources claimed that both sides were using rockets and missiles against each other. The fighting continued till late evening. The tribesmen also suffered casualties but no details were available.

Three rockets also exploded in a village Ghulam Bolak area close to Sibi airfield. However, the airfield remained safe, official sources said. Reports reaching here from Mach say that security forces continued operation in coalmine area of Margat and Narwar against militants involved in rocket firing.

Meraach Baloch, who claimed to be a spokesman for the Baloch Liberation Army, claimed that security forces suffered heavy loss of life in Margat area during last three days of operation.