Fourteen Pakistani soldiers killed in rebel ambush

Fourteen Pakistani soldiers killed in rebel ambush

2011-11-22 11:55:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

QUETTA, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Fourteen Pakistani soldiers were killed on Monday in a clash with rebels in the country's southwestern Balochistan provinces, officials said. Several others were injured.

The Express Tribune reported that the troops of the paramilitary Frontier Corps were establishing a checkpoint in Loralai district when unidentified gunmen opened fire at them. Fourteen security personnel were killed while six others were injured in the ensuing exchange of fire.

Security officials told the newspaper that a major was among those killed. It was not immediately known how many, if any, of the attackers were killed or injured.

The checkpoint is located near Chamalang coal mine, which has been the subject of fighting amongst local tribesmen in the past. Earlier, Frontier Corps had launched an operation against Marri tribesmen who were carrying out armed attacks on trucks transporting the coal from the Chamalang mines.

Officials in Quetta, the provincial capital, has blamed India for providing arms and ammunition to the Marri tribesmen to allegedly sabotage the pace of development in Balochistan, where insurgency is also on the rise.

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