QUETTA: Armed militants attacked a Pakistani security checkpoint on a highway in a remote area of southwestern Balochistan province, killing a soldier before fleeing, the military said Monday.

The overnight attack on the paramilitary Frontier Corps troops took place in the province's Kech district, the military said in a statement. Troops have cordoned off the area and are pursuing “fleeing terrorists," it said. There were no further details.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault but previous such attacks have been claimed by separatist groups in Balochistan, where other militants also have a presence. Balochistan has been battling an insurgency for more than a decade by separatists demanding complete autonomy or a larger share of the province’s gas and mineral resources.