Twelve terrorists have so far been neutralised and many others were injured as security forces responded to attacks carried out at several places across Balochistan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Monday.
“In Balochistan, terrorists have carried out cowardly attacks at several places,” the report said, without specifying the locations of the attacks.
“Security forces and law enforcement agencies responded effectively to these attacks,” Radio Pakistan said, adding that the operation would continue until the terrorists were eliminated.
Reports of blasts and grenade attacks were also received from Sibi Panjgur, Mastung, Turbat, Bela and Quetta. Officials said armed men blew up a railway track linking Pakistan with Iran at the bypass area of Mastung.
Later, the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The overnight incidents across the Kalat district left 11 people, including security personnel, dead and injured six others, according to Kalat Superintendent of Police (SP) Dostain Dashti.
According to reports, armed men had attacked Pasni police station and after thrashing personnel, burnt three vehicles and motorcycles parked there. Another police station in Suntsar, a coastal town of Gwadar, was ransacked and the attackers took away official weapons.
Officials said that armed men attacked Levies Thana Khadkocha and took personnel hostage while in Kalat, armed men exchanged fire with law enforcement agencies.
According to SP Dashti, four Levies sepoys — Ahsanullah, Ali Akbar, Rehmatullah and Nasibullah — were among those martyred in the clashes.
Police sub-inspector Huzoor Baksh, a tribal elder and two civilians were also among those who lost their lives, Dashti said.
Kalat Assistant Commissioner Aftab Lasi was injured in an exchange of fire, district commissioner Naeem Bazai had earlier confirmed to Dawn, adding that the official was in stable condition.
SP Dashti said today that four others were also injured.
According to the SP, armed men attacked the hotel and house of a tribal person in the Mehlabi area of Kalat, resulting in the death of Malik Zubair Mohammad Hosni.
The clashes occurred along various points of the Quetta-Karachi highway, the SP said, adding that the route has been closed to traffic. An emergency has been imposed in hospitals.
The bodies and the injured have been shifted to Kalat Civil Hospital, said hospital official Ziaur Rehman.