Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Pakistan Army: Gunmen Kill 3 Troops, Wound 5 in Twin Attacks

Pakistan's Army Chief of Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa arrives to attend the Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 23, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood

Gunmen in two separate attacks ambushed vehicles carrying paramilitary troops in southwest Pakistan, killing at least three soldiers and wounding five others before fleeing, the military said Sunday night.

The first attack took place in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province and it killed three soldiers and wounded another, the military said in a statement.

It said four soldiers were also wounded when gunmen "targeted soldiers patrolling" in the district of Turbat along the border with Iran.

No one claimed responsibility for the twin attacks and the military provided no further details.

Baluchistan is the scene of a long-running insurgency by small Baluch secessionist groups, which for decades have staged attacks to press their demands for independence. Pakistani Taliban and other militants also have a presence in Baluchistan, which witnessed an increase in such attacks in recent weeks.

Pakistan shares a long border with Afghanistan and Iran. The military says it has completed about 85% of the fence along the boundary with Afghanistan, and fencing of the border with Iran was also underway to contain the movement of militants and to curb smuggling.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.