QUETTA - Gunmen killed eight members of a family including women and children in Mousiani Goth area of Jaffarabad early on Sunday morning. Six militants and a Peace Force man were also killed as security forces retaliated.
Sources said militants entered a local Wadera Ghazi Khan Mahrata Bugti’s house located in Mousiani Goth area of Jaffarabad and opened indiscriminate fire on inmates. As s result, eight people of the family, including owner of the house Ghazi Khan Mahrata, his wife, brother, sister-in-law, son and three grandchildren were killed.
The security forces, backed by Peace Force rushed to the spot after the incident, and surrounded the attackers which resulted in the death of six gunmen and a member of the peace militia.
Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti confirmed the incident and said that eight people of Wadera Ghazi Khan Bugti were killed by the militant. He said a member of Peace Force and six militants were also killed in gunfire.
The Frontier Corps (FC) spokesman Khan Wasey said in a statement that more than a dozen militants attacked the Ghazi Khan’s house near Pat Feeder Canal area and killed his all family members.
He said after getting information, a Special Force of Frontier Corps and Peace Force rushed to the site upon which an exchange of firing with militants started that lasted over six hours.
He said that six militants were killed in exchange of fire and a member of Peace Force sustained serious wounds.
He said that banned Baloch Republican Army (BRA) had alleged that the family was informer of the security forces.
The deceased were taken to the nearby state-run hospital where they were identified as local Wadera Ghazi Khan, his wife Sehat Khatoon, son Pahtan Khan, his brother Imam Bakhsh, sister-in-law Mengal Khatoon, grandson Buhra Khan, granddaughters Aziza and Zarina.
Sources claimed that the Peace Force man Chata Bugti was killed. However, FC spokesman said he was alive but in injured condition. Two of the militants were identified Commander Shera Hamzani Bugti and Mahdo Sundari Bugti.
FC claimed that three of the militants were identified and they were involved in killing, kidnapping for ransom, blowing up the gas pipelines, attacking on government installations and security forces.
Agencies add: Ghazi Khan was a pro-government militia leader. Provincial Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said it was an act of terrorism.
It was the latest in a series of attacks by ethnic Baloch rebels against pro-government political and militia leaders in the province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran. Apart from nationalist rebels, groups affiliated with al-Qaeda also operate in the province.
Earlier on October 29 last year, assailants had attacked the house of a local tribal leader in Dera Bugti that killed seven persons, including women and children while five others sustained injuries.
According to the Levies sources, unidentified armed men barged into the house of tribal leader Tara Khan near Loti gas field area of Dera Bugti. The culprits opened indiscriminate fire on the residents, killing seven persons including two women and three children while five others were injured in the ambush.
The injured were immediately rushed to the Sui Gas Hospital for treatment. Tribal leader Tara Khan remained safe in the attack.
Two killed as container torched in Bolan
Unidentified armed men killed two persons and torched a private container in Dhadar area of Bolan district, some 70 kilometers southeast of Quetta, on Sunday.
Balochistan Levies sources said that a private container of Afghan trade was heading towards Afghanistan from Karachi when armed men intercepted container at gun-point at Dhadar area and opened indiscriminate firing.
Resultantly, two occupants driver and cleaner of truck sustained serious injuries and died before reaching the hospital.
“Attackers were armed with sophisticated weapons and fled swiftly after torching the container that got damaged badly,” Levies official said, adding, that Levies personnel rushed to the site after getting information and shifted the bodies to a nearby hospital.
The deceased were identified as Lal Muhammad and his son Shamsullah both are said to be residents of Chaman area of Balochistan. “A search has been started in the area to hunt down the attackers,” Levies sources said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack till filing of this report.
A case has been registered against unknown persons and investigations are underway.
Meanwhile, a man died and two other received injuries in a collision between a vehicle and motorcycle on National Highway near Uch power Plant of Nasirabad district on Sunday.
According to police, the victims were on way to somewhere on a motorbike when a vehicle hit them due to overspeeding.
As a result, Noor Ahmad died on the spot while Bashir Ahmad and Sadora Khan suffered wounds.
The body and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital, where the body of the deceased was handed over to the heirs after legal formalities.
Police are looking into the matter.