Pakistani Forces Kill Five Militants, Free 23 Hostages in Balochistan
Pakistan's military says five militants were killed and 23 hostages freed after an illegal checkpoint was set up near Kalat in Balochistan.
Pakistani security forces killed five militants and rescued 23 hostages during a shootout in Balochistan, the military said on Sunday, in the latest operation against insurgents in the country's restive southwest.
The militants had set up an illegal checkpoint near Kalat overnight into Saturday, stopping vehicles to abduct people for ransom, extort money and seize vehicles, according to a military statement. The exact timing of the abductions was not immediately clear.
The statement identified the slain militants as members of "Fitna al-Hindustan," a term the government uses for the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army and other separatist groups in Balochistan that are demanding independence. Islamabad alleges these groups receive support from India, a charge New Delhi has previously denied.
Troops recovered six trucks, three buses and two cars, along with weapons, ammunition and explosives. No casualties were reported among security personnel or the abductees. The military said forces were searching the surrounding area for any remaining militants.
The operation came just over a week after Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti ruled out negotiations with insurgents and said security operations would continue until militancy was eliminated from the province.
Kidnappings for ransom after the setting up of illegal checkpoints are a recurring tactic in the region. Last month, insurgents abducted and killed 18 police officers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for the operation, saying counterterrorism efforts would continue and vowing to eliminate what he described as foreign-sponsored terrorism.
Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency, with a range of separatist groups, including the BLA, seeking independence from Pakistan's central government. The groups have mainly targeted security forces and people from Punjab who travel to the province for business or employment. Although Pakistani authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence in the province has persisted.