FC kill 30 suspected militants in Balochistan, officials claim
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QUETTA: Frontier Corps claimed to have killed more than 30 militants in Balochistan's Kalat and Khuzdar districts on Monday, according to an official.
Khan Wasey, the spokesperson for FC, a para-military force, told Dawn.com the forces launched an operation against suspected militants in Kalat district's Parodh area.
"So far more than 30 miscreants have been killed in the operation", Wasey said adding that "Forces also destroyed six vehicles of miscreants".
A large contingent of the forces, backed by local administration, were taking part in the operation.
The spokesperson however said that ten security personnel also sustained injuries during the operation.
The FC Spokesman claimed that the targeted miscreants were involved in recent attacks on passenger trains, security forces and other vital installations in different parts of the province.
Security forces also claimed to have recovered rocket launchers, hand grenades, hand-held bombs and other arms and ammunition from the possessions of militants.
"There is an intense firing between forces and miscreants", Wasey said.
The situation in the area was tense as the clash between security forces and armed militants continued.
Moreover, provincial interior minister Sarfraz Bugti said security forces seized a large quantity of weapons during the raids and that ten members of the paramilitary force were wounded in the fighting.
The claims could not be verified by independent sources.
Kalat and Khuzdar are considered to be the most sensitive districts of Balochistan.
Militants in the area have been targeting vital national installations and security forces for last more than a decade in the area.
In another incident, an army helicopter made a mysterious emergency landing on Monday morning in Kalat district of Balochistan .
Initial media reports had claimed that the helicopter had crashed after getting tangled in electricity wires soon after take-off.
However, Brigadier Abdul Rahim of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Quetta, said that a MI-17 cargo helicopter was on a routine flight when it developed some technical fault.
“ All crew members, including the pilot, remained safe in the incident,” he added.
