At least 10 killed in overnight attack by Baloch rebels in Pakistan
Al Jazeera
Six members of a rebel armed group and four security officers killed in the overnight gun battle in the remote province.
Islamabad, Pakistan – At least six fighters and four security officials have been killed in an overnight attack in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
Jan Achakzai, the provincial information minister, on Tuesday said the attackers, belonging to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), targeted military and security installations with guns and rockets in the city of Mach, 65km (40 miles) south of Balochistan’s capital, Quetta.
As they faced resistance, the attackers moved to “less secure” areas, focusing their assault on the Mach police station, an official told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity since he was not authorised to speak with the media.
“At the moment, a clearing operation is under way in the suburbs of the city,” he said. “The terrain here is quite difficult, but we are hopeful to wrap it up by the end of the day.”
In a statement shared with Al Jazeera, the BLA claimed the responsibility for the attack, saying its “freedom fighters” conducted the operation.
