Police in Quetta have launched a major operation to apprehend suspects behind the killing of nine soldiers in overnight attacks, reports and police said on Friday. Seven soldiers, a police constable, and a passer-by were killed on Thursday night when some armed men riding on a car sprayed a van with bullets in Quetta, police said.
An army statement has confirmed six soldiers had lost their lives in the shooting near the Railways Rest House neighbourhood when the soldiers were on their way to Quetta Staff College from the railway station in a hired pick-up car.
Police Chief Rehmatullah Niazi has said that 14 people, including Aga Hasan Baloch, a central leader of a nationalist group, Balochistan National Party, have been arrested in overnight raids. He said that the suspects are being questioned after they were picked from Saryab Road, Kali Ismail, Burma Hotel, Aspini Road and Nawan Killi localities.
A purported spokesman for the banned group Baloch Liberation Army Baibrak Baloch has claimed responsibility for the attack. Baibrak Baloch called mediamen in Quetta to claim responsibility. The police chief said that the nationalist leader has been taken into custody in connection with the attacks on security men.
He said police are on high alert and extra police force has been deployed at several places. Attacks on security personnel and government installations are common in Balochistan. Anti-government tribal militants, who demand more rights and royalty of the province resources, are always blamed for such attacks.
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