Pakistani forces kill 13 militants in Balochistan Province

Pakistani security forces have killed at least 13 militants during clashes in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, local media report.

The clashes erupted on Monday in the troubled province’s Awaran district as the forces were searching for suspected militants, Dunya News said. The security forces managed to seize a large quantity of automatic weapons and explosives from the militants.

Pakistan’s Balochistan Province has seen a number of gun and bomb attacks over the past couple of years. Pro-Taliban militants and some local militant groups have carried out numerous attacks against security forces as well as civilians despite frequent offensives by the Pakistani army.

Thousands of Pakistanis have lost their lives in bombings and other militant attacks since 2001, when Pakistan entered an alliance with the US in the so-called war on terror. Thousands more have been displaced by the wave of violence and militancy sweeping across the country.