Three FC personnel killed, six others injured in Balochistan

. QUETTA: Three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed and six others wounded in a remotely controlled roadside blast in Sorab area of Kalat district on Saturday. Kalat district is located about 245 kilometers off Quetta. Spokesperson FC Khan Wasay told The Express Tribune an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted along RCD Highway in Sorab. “FC convoy was going to Panjgur from Kalat district when it was attacked with a roadside IED,” he said, adding that six personnel sustained splinter wounds. One of the four vehicles of the FC was also damaged in the blast. The dead bodies and injured were shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Quetta. According to security officials, around six to eight kilogrammes of explosive material were used in the blast. “The target was FC convoy,” a senior police officer of Kalat Nazir Kurd stated. Rescue workers, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and more troops reached the scene soon after the incident and the area was cordoned off. In a separate incident, Frontier Corps (FC) claimed to have killed ten suspects in Sui area of Bugti Tribal Territory after an exchange of fire during a search operation this morning. Acting on a tip-off, FC mounted a search operation in Darinjan Nalla and Rustam Bazar areas. “There was a heavy exchange of fire between miscreants and FC. At least ten miscreants were killed,” Wasay confirmed. “Security forces recovered Improvised Explosive Devices and arms from the houses in Darinjan Nalla during the search operation,” he added. According to the spokesperson, the suspects were involved in blowing up gas pipelines and carrying out attacks on security forces in Bugti Tribal Territory. However, the identity of the deceased could not be determined until this report was filed.