Karachi, February 18 At least eight suspected terrorists were killed on Wednesday by Pakistani security forces on the outskirts of Quetta in the restive Balochistan province.
A spokesperson for the Balochistan Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) told the media that the CTD had carried out a raid based on intelligence near the town of Darakshan, on the outskirts of Quetta, in which the militants were killed.
The spokesperson said that eight bodies were found at the site where the gunfire took place between CTD officers and the militants.
"Apparently, some of them may have managed to escape, as we have evidence at the scene suggesting that there were other militants as well," he added.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also confirmed the killing of the eight terrorists.
The spokesperson said that they had received intelligence reports that a group of militants belonging to an insurgent group (which he did not identify) had reached Quetta from Mastung to carry out a large-scale terror attack in the city.
Last month, at least 15 security officials and 18 civilians were killed as armed militants launched coordinated attacks across the province. In four days of violent clashes between the militants and security forces, around 206 terrorists were killed, according to the military's media wing.
The southwestern province has seen a rise in terror attacks by insurgent groups, with the Balochistan Liberation Army claiming responsibility for the attacks last month, in which several police stations, frontier corps check posts, banks, and government buildings were targeted.
The insurgent groups have been carrying out separatist movements since the last two decades, however, in the last 2-3 years, the intensity of the attacks has increased.
