Militants kill four soldiers in Balochistan

Gunmen ambushed a paramilitary checkpost on Friday, killing four soldiers and abducting four others in Balochistan, officials said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but officials blamed the attack on Taliban in Shirani district, 350 kilometres (217 miles) east of Quetta.
"Militants attacked the post in the early hours. They first surrounded the post, then ambushed it. After killing four, they took four other soldiers with them," said a senior government official. Three other soldiers were wounded, the official added. An intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media, confirmed the attack and blamed the Taliban. Kidnapping for ransom and in the hope of securing prisoner swaps is routine in the most troubled parts of Pakistan.