Karachi: At least 10 militants, including a top commander of a separatist outfit, were killed and 12 others arrested today in an operation carried out by security forces in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province.
The security personnel conducted an operation in Sangaan area of Sibi district and demolished three militant hideouts.
They also apprehended 12 suspected militants following an exchange of fire in which 10 terrorists were killed.
"A key militant commander was also killed during the operation," an official told Dawn News.
Spokesman for Balochistan government, Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, said a key commander of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) Aslam Acho was reportedly killed by security forces in Sibi.
Kakar said, "the dead commander was allegedly involved in the attack in Quaid's residency in Ziarat."
The security forces claimed to have recovered a huge cache of weapons including rockets, improvised explosive devices and bombs from the possession of the militants.
All the dead and apprehended militants belonged to an outlawed militant organisation operating in the area, the security official said.
The arrested suspects were shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
The militants were reportedly involved in a series of attacks on security forces and blowing up of gas pipelines and other vital installations in the area.
