Photo credit: The Globe
Pakistani security forces killed five militants in an intense shootout and freed 23 hostages in the country’s restive southwest, the military said Sunday. It was unclear when the abductions took place.
The Associated Press reports that the militants had established an illegal checkpoint near Kalat in Balochistan province overnight into Saturday, stopping vehicles to abduct people for ransom, extort money and seize vehicles, according to a military statement.
The statement described the killed militants as members of “Fitna al-H industan,” a term the Pakistani government uses for the outlawed separatist Baloch Liberation Army and other groups operating in Balochistan demanding independence and that it alleges are supported by India. New Delhi has previously denied accusations that it sponsors militancy in Pakistan.
Security forces recovered six trucks, three buses and two cars, along with weapons, ammunition and explosives. No casualties among security or abductees were reported. The military said troops were searching the surrounding area for any remaining militants.
The latest operation came just over a week after Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti ruled out negotiations with insurgents and said security operatives would continue until militancy was eliminated from the province.
Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in southwestern Pakistan with an array of separatist groups, including the BLA, demanding independence from Pakistan’s central government in Islamabad. The groups have staged attacks mainly targeting security forces and people from Punjab who travel to Balochistan for business or emp-loyment.
Although Pakistani authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence in the province has persisted.
