At least seven paramilitary troops killed in attack in southwestern Pakistan

Militants stormed a paramilitary checkpoint in southwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing seven troops, the latest in a string of attacks by separatist insurgents, police said.

The early-morning attack in the mountainous Kalat district, some 150 km south of Quetta, the capital of the southwestern Balochistan province, continued for several hours, said police officer Habib-ur-Rehman.

Another 18 wounded paramilitary soldiers, some in critical condition, were admitted to local hospitals, he said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack. He said, “Such cowardly acts cannot deter our resolve—together with our nation and security forces, we will eliminate this menace.”

The separatist militant group the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) said in an email sent to a Reuters reporter that its fighters had attacked the checkpoint.

The group has stepped up its operations recently, claiming a suicide bombing last week that targeted Pakistani army troops at a railway station minutes before they were due to board a train to return home for vacations. It killed 27, including 19 soldiers, who were in civilian clothing.

The group also claimed a suicide bombing last month outside the southern Karachi international airport, which killed two Chinese engineers.

The BLA and several other separatist groups have been fighting for decades in the Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.