Army operations kill 18 militants in Pakistan

Police and paramilitary troops have killed 18 militants and arrested several others in two separate operations in south and southwest provinces of Pakistan on Monday, local media and officials said.

Dunya TV said that the paramilitary troops Frontier Corps (FC) launched an operation in Kech area of the country's southwest Balochistan province, killing 13 militants and injuring several others.

An FC spokesperson was quoted as saying that the operation was launched to apprehend the miscreants of Baloch Liberation Front ( BLF), who claimed responsibility for the killing of 20 laborers in Turbat area of the province on Saturday.

The militants attacked the camp of the laborers early Saturday and fled the scene after gunning them down.

Acting on a tip-off, over 100 FC forces raided the hideout of the militants and recovered large amount of arms and ammunitions.

Several militants, including a BLF commander, were arrested.

In a separate operation in the southern port city of Karachi, five militants, including an al-Qaida commander, were killed by the Counter Terrorism Department of police.

Senior Superintendant Police Raja Umar Khitab said the police raided a hideout of the suspected militants in Orangi town area of Karachi, the capital city of the country's south Sindh province.

The killed militants were involved in carrying out attacks on police and paramilitary troops in the city, he said. Endi