Daily Sabah (Turkey)

Terrorist attack kills 5 troops in SW Pakistan

- ISTANBUL / DAILY SABAH WITH AP

five Pakistani soldiers were killed in an explosion in the country’s southwest, the military said yesterday, in fifth deadly attack on police and troops this year.

The attack comes just weeks before the country holds parliament­ary elections. The troops died during an operation on Saturday in Kech District, Baluchista­n province, when suspected terrorists detonated the improvised device on the security forces’ vehicle.

The ensuing gunfight killed three “terrorists,” the army said. A clean-up operation was carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area, it added.

The soldiers were aged between 23 and 25. Nobody immediatel­y claimed responsibi­lity for the attack.

Pakistan’s security forces remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging the peace, stability and progress of Baluchista­n, the army said.

The chief minister of Baluchista­n, Mir Ali Mardan Khan Domki, expressed his regret about the soldiers’ deaths.

Some senators are calling for a delay to the elections, scheduled for Feb. 8, citing security challenges.

Baluchista­n, which borders Afghanista­n and Iran, has been the scene of an insurgency by nationalis­ts for more than two decades.

They initially wanted a share of the province’s resources, but later initiated an insurgency for independen­ce.

Separately, in Pakistan’s northweste­rn Khyber Pakhtunkhw­a province, the army said security forces killed four suspected terrorists in operations on Saturday.

Weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the slain men.

The army alleged they were involved in terrorist activities against security forces, extortion and killings of civilians.

 ?? ?? In this file photo Pakistani security personnel wait at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2023.
In this file photo Pakistani security personnel wait at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2023.

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