QUETTA: Separatist insurgents in Balochistan claimed they shot down a military helicopter that went down during a flood relief operation on Monday, killing all six on board including a top army commander. A senior military official dismissed the insurgents’ claim as propaganda and fake news. The military said the helicopter crashed during bad weather.

Pakistan Army helicopter with six onboard goes missing: ISPR

The Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an umbrella group of Baloch insurgent groups, said in a statement sent to Reuters late on Tuesday that its fighters shot down the “low flying helicopter” with an anti-aircraft weapon. The group provided no evidence and Reuters could not independently verify the claim.