QUETTA - Gunmen on a motorcycle killed four paramilitary soldiers in Quetta on Wednesday, a day after four policemen were killed.
The attackers targeted a paramilitary patrol vehicle on Double Road in Quetta and fled after the shooting, authorities said.
"Four paramilitary soldiers were martyred and two other soldiers and a civilian were wounded in the firing by unknown gunmen on motorcycle," Frontier Corps spokesman Khan Wasay told AFP.
Balochistan Home Secretary Akbar Harifal confirmed the incident.
Police, according to Reuters, said the officials of the paramilitary Frontier Corps were patrolling in their official vehicle when they were attacked. Two officers died on the spot while another two succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
"Four of our soldiers have been killed in a terrorist attack," Khan Wasey, the spokesman for the paramilitary force said on Wednesday. No militant group claimed responsibility.
According to doctors, the injured received multiple bullet wounds which caused their death. The dead were identified as Tanvir, Atique, Sharif and Awwal Daraz.
The law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the entire area to trace the suspects. Further investigation was underway.
On Tuesday four policemen were killed in two separate attacks in Quetta.
Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri condemned the attack and stated that the terrorists intended to spread fear in the public by carrying out such activities, further stating that all such attempts of the terrorists would be foiled.
The chief minister said that peace was established in the province as a result of the sacrifices made by the security officials, adding that the stability achieved in Balochistan will not be allowed to be sabotaged. “Anti-social elements and the terrorists would be crushed will all the might,” the chief minister said.
Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan also strongly condemned the incident of firing on FC vehicle that resulted into loss of precious lives. The interior minister expressed his sympathies with the bereaved families.
Mineral-rich Balochistan of which Quetta is the capital has been plagued for decades by an insurgency and sectarian killings.
Balochistan is at the heart of multi-billion-dollar energy and infrastructure projects which China and Pakistan are planning along a corridor stretching from the Arabian Sea to China's Xinjiang region.
THREE TERRORISTS KILLED IN AWARAN OPERATION
At least three terrorists were killed in an encounter between security forces and terrorists in Mashkay area of Awaran district on Wednesday.
According to Levies sources, on a tip-off about presence of the terrorists in the area, the security forces conducted search operation in Mashkay where terrorists opened fire at them and in retaliation the security forces killed three terrorists.
The Levies sources said the killed terrorists had links with a banned outfit.