Fighting claims eight lives in Southwestern Pakistan

[bemildred]

SLAMABAD, Feb 5 (KUNA) -- At least six civilians and two paramilitary troops were killed in a bloody fight between security forces and nationalists, erupted after the former blew off a state-run gas pipeline in Southwestern Baluchistan province of Pakistan, bordering Iran, said paramilitary sources on Sunday.

On Saturday night Baluch nationalist militants tore apart a 60-feet pipeline of Loti gas fields in gas-rich Sui area, about 300 kilometers from the provincial capital Quetta, attacking the field for the third time in less than two months, sources told KUNA.

Following attack, there was heavy exchange of fire between the security forces and nationalist militants, sources said. They said the fighting killed two paramilitary troops and six civilians and wounded dozens other.

KUNA

[varun]

1. Baluchistan is a powder-keg

and it has huge reserves of natural gas!