9 militant commanders of banned outfit killed in Pakistan

Karachi: At least nine militant commanders of a proscribed outfit involved in the killing of 44 personnel from frontier works department, were killed on Sunday during a clash with paramilitary troops in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province.

Frontier Corps (FC), acting on a tip off regarding the presence of militants, launched a search operation in Awaran district.

On seeing the FC personnel, the militants opened fire on them and nine commanders of the banned outfit were killed in retaliatory fire, Geo News reported.

The FC seized a large cache of arms and explosives from the possession of the militants.

The home department has claimed commanders killed during search operation were involved in the killing of 44 FWO personnel besides other incidents.

Though FC is meant to help in local law enforcement and carry out border patrol and anti-smuggling operations, its units have been recently used in military operations in Balochistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

—PTI