ISLAMABAD, June 18 (Xinhua) -- A soldier was killed when terrorists attacked military troops deployed at security duties near an airport in Turbat area of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, an army statement said.
Other details of the attack on Thursday as well as identities or affiliations of the terrorists were not shared in the statement issued by the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
A large-scale operation by paramilitary troops Frontier Corps (FC) has been launched in the area to hunt the terrorists, the statement added.
"Such cowardly acts by inimical elements, backed by anti-state forces cannot sabotage the hard-earned peace and prosperity in Balochistan. Security forces are determined to neutralize their nefarious designs even at the cost of blood and lives," the ISPR said.
This is the second attack on security forces in the province recently. On Monday, four FC soldiers were killed in the explosion of an improvised explosive device in the provincial capital of Quetta.
Located along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Balochistan province had been facing serious security challenges from terrorists based within the province and across the border in the past, but the situation came under control after the military's intelligence-based operations in the area.
However, a spike in terrorist attacks in the province has been witnessed over the last few months with frequent attacks targeting security forces and civilians. Enditem