QUETTA: Dozens of armed men raided a pro-government tribal militia post in Balochistan on Saturday, killing one man and abducting five, officials said.

The early morning raid took place in Dera Bugti district, about 400 kilometres southeast of provincial capital Quetta, they said.

“Armed men believed to be several dozens attacked the post and whisked away five members of the tribal force in their vehicles after forcing them to surrender,” provincial chief secretary Akbar Durrani told AFP.

One man who resisted was shot dead by the assailants, he said.

Local administration chief Syed Faisal Shah confirmed the raid, saying security forces had been rushed to the area and a search operation had been launched.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The government set up a lightly armed tribal force, known locally as a peace force, to help security forces tackle militant violence in the region.

Balochistan is rife with militancy and is home to a regional insurgency the latest phase of which began in 2004. The insurgents demand political autonomy and a greater share of profits from the province’s oil and gas resources.

The province has also become a flashpoint for sectarian violence.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf earlier this month sacked the provincial government in Balochistan after meeting Shia protesters demanding protection after a huge bomb attack that killed 92 people.