ISLAMABAD: Pakistan military troops foiled an ambush attempt on a security forces convoy in the country's southwestern Balochistan province, killing eight militants in a heavy exchange of fire, the army's media wing said on Thursday.
Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province by area but most impoverished, has long been the scene of a low-level insurgency by separatist groups seeking independence from the central government in Islamabad. The militant groups accuse the state of depriving Balochistan of its mineral riches for the benefit of other provinces. Pakistan's civilian and military leadership reject the allegations.
Pakistan has seen a surge in militant activity since November last year when the Pakistani Taliban unilaterally ended a ceasefire with the Pakistani state and announced it would target security forces across the country.
However, the TTP is not the most active militant group and the province is most at threat from separatist groups.
In a press release, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said a group of "terrorists" attempted to ambush a security forces convoy in Balochistan's District Kech on Wednesday evening.
The military said that "alert and combat-ready troops" not only foiled the militant attack but also started a follow-up operation to hunt the militants down.
"Resultantly, on the morning of 23 Feb 23, a suspected hideout of terrorists was identified in Mazaaband Range where a sanitization operation was launched," the ISPR said.
"In ensuing, heavy exchange of fire, 8 x Terrorists have been killed while a large cache of arms and ammunition including explosives has also been recovered," it added.
The military said Pakistan's security forces would continue to thwart any attempt by "inimical elements" at the behest of hostile intelligence agencies to disrupt "hard-earned peace" in the province.
The exchange of fire takes place a couple of days after militants attacked a security checkpost in district Mastung in Balochistan and killed two paramilitary soldiers.
