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Clashes with militants in southwestern Pakistan kill 5 troops and 7 militants
Security forces recovered weapons and explosives as they killed seven militants in the operation, the military said.
On Wednesday, clashes between the Pakistan Army and insurgents in Balochistan killed five soldiers, including an army major, and seven militants, the military said.
Resource-Rich Balochistan has faced a long-running insurgency by separatist groups, with militants accusing the Pakistan Army of usurping local mineral and gas resources.
District Police Officer Barkhan Saad Afridi told Arab News that five soldiers died in an improvised explosive device blast while traveling from Nosham to Loralai Garrison around 2:10 p.m.
The Baloch Liberation Army, designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 2019, claimed responsibility for the attack, while Pakistan authorities claim Indian backing that New Delhi denies.
This violence follows a recent surge in militant attacks across Pakistan, including a Tuesday market blast in Lakki Marwat that killed nine people and a separate ambush last week in Bannu that killed 15 police constables.