New Delhi (NVI): Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in two separate incidents in Balochistan, Pakistani Army said today, as Baloch armed groups intensify attacks on Pak military in the province.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Army’s media wing, in a statement released today said that six Pakistani army personnel were killed in an IED attack in Pir Gharib in Mach, Balochistan late last night.
In a separate incident, another Pakistani soldier was killed during an exchange of fire near Mand, Kech, ISPR said.
“IED attack in Pir Ghaib, Mach, Balochistan late last night on FC vehicle returning to base camp after routine patrolling duty. 6 personnel including a Junior Commissioned Officer ( JCO) & a civilian driver embraced shahadat,” the Pakistan army’s media wing said in a statement.
“In an another incident, during exchange of fire near Mand, Kech, Balochistan, Sepoy Imdad Ali embraced shahadat,” it added.
Pakistan Army has been hit six times in different areas in the province in 2 days, reports The Balochistan Post. According to the online magazine, the responsibility of the attacks has been taken by several Baloch pro-independence armed groups.
Citing reports, the magazine said that in the late-night incident on Monday, the security convoy of an oil and gas exploration company was targeted by an IED in Peer-Ghaib area of Bolan. It said that a security forces’ vehicle was damaged in the attack, as per initial reports.
The attack was later claimed by the United Baloch Army (UBA), the magazine reported. Mureed Baloch, the spokesman for the group, said in a statement issued to the media from an undisclosed location that Baloch fighters hit a convoy of security forces escorting an oil and gas exploration company, with a remote-controlled bomb at Peer-Ghaib in Bolan.
“The attack completely destroyed the forces’ vehicle, after that our fighters also attacked other vehicles with rockets and automatic weapons,” the spokesman was quoted as saying by The Balochistan Post.
He said that a large number of security forces and company engineers were killed in the attack. Mureed Baloch, in his statement, warns foreign companies to stop investing in Balochistan, the magazine reported. He further said that similar attacks would continue till the independence of Balochistan.
In another attack carried out by Balochistan Liberation Front, or BLF, the group’s spokesman Goahram Baloch has claimed that a security personnel was killed in a sniper attack in Kech district yesterday, the magazine reported.