Pakistani forces kill 30 militants in Balochistan province

Officials in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province said security forces Thursday killed at least 30 suspected militants.

Provincial Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said that one security man was also killed and eight others were injured during the operation in Dera Bugti district.

Several militant groups are fighting the security forces in Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

Bugti said security personnel launched the operation in different parts on a tip off that they were hiding there, adding the forces faced stiff resistance from the miscreants.

The minister did not offer any comments as to which group was targeted during the operation.

Bugti said the forces also destroyed eight camps of the militants and explosives, 50 anti-personnel mines, arms and ammunition were also recovered from the militants.

The Frontier Corps also freed two hostages from the custody of the miscreants. They had been kidnapped for ransome.

Bugti said the search operation was carried out in response to militant attacks against important government installations and security forces.

"The government would go after the miscreants and would continue operations to protect life and property of the people," he said.

Official sources said that some of the militants had previously attacked the paramilitary troops in southern Sindh province, killing two people. The militants later fled to Balochistan.