By DPA
Islamabad : Three paramilitary soldiers were killed and five wounded Saturday in a shootout between security forces and suspected Islamic militants in Pakistan’s western province of Balochistan, officials said.
The pre-dawn firefight broke out when the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) came under heavy fire from a militant hideout on the outskirts of Walbandin, a town located about 60 km from the Iranian border, FC spokesman Major Shahid told DPA.
One attacker died in the exchange of fire that continued for about four hours, while his comrades managed to flee from the scene.
The assailants were believed to be members of Jundullah (Army of God), a Sunni Muslim organisation that has close links with the Al Qaeda terrorist network.
The group mainly operates in border areas between Iran and Pakistan. It is also involved in an ongoing insurgency in Iran’s Sistan province.