Clashes in Balochistan Highlight Ongoing Insurgency

Eighteen soldiers and 12 militants died in south-western Pakistan's Balochistan as military forces clashed with militants trying to establish roadblocks. The mineral-rich province, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is a hotspot for separatist and Islamist insurgencies. Recent incidents underline the decade-long unrest in the region.

In a brutal confrontation in south-western Pakistan, 18 paramilitary soldiers and 12 militants lost their lives, as reported by the military's media wing on Saturday.

The deadly clash took place in Balochistan, where militants attempted to erect roadblocks overnight. The military swiftly acted to dismantle them, though the group responsible remains unidentified.

Balochistan is a province rich in minerals but beset by a prolonged insurgency from ethnic Baloch separatists and Islamist militants, with the incident being the latest in a series of violent episodes highlighting the ongoing turmoil.

(With inputs from agencies.)