Reposted from Daily Times | November 22, 2011 | Story

By Mohammad Zafar

* 16 others injured as armed men attack FC convoy sent to guard a coalfield in Bahlol Basti

* BLA claims responsibility, says they also took away arms of FC soldiers

QUETTA: At least 14 personnel, including a major of the Frontier Corps (FC), were killed and 16 others were injured when their convoy was attacked by a group of armed men near a coalfield in Musa Khel on Sunday night.

The banned outfit Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed the responsibility for the attack and further claimed that BLA attackers also took away the arms of the FC soldiers.

"As many as 40 FC personnel and one of BLA's attackers were killed in the clash," the spokesman of BLA who introduced himself as Azad Baloch told the local media from an unspecified location.

The incident took place near Bahlol Basti and Kingari in Musa Khel district where a coalmine project was initiated on August 12. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had inaugurated the project.

According to the FC spokesperson, an FC unit was sent to Kingari and Bahlol Basti in Musa Khel on the request of local people for providing adequate security cover to the coalmine project.

Some armed men opened fire on the FC convoy a few kilometres from Bahlol Basti, killing 14 personnel, including a major, and injuring few others, he added.

He further stated that Loralai Scouts were responsible for security of the project, but the FC unit was sent on the request of the local people for adequate security for smooth functioning of the project.

The deceased army major was identified as Muhammad Amir Shahzad and other slain personnel include Sobedar Dawood, Hawaldar Ghafoor, Lance Naik Makram, Sepoy Muhammad Taufiq, Mira Jan, Ghulam, Sarwar, Mubullah, Zubair Ahmed, Abdul Nabi and Muhammad Asif. According to the FC spokesperson, militants also fired 30 rockets on the FC checkposts in Kohlu. The assailants also opened fire on some checkposts and fled from the scene after retaliatory firing by FC personnel. "No causality was reported in both attacks," he added.

The FC termed the attack cowardice and said the blood of soldiers will not go in vain.

The spokesperson strongly condemned the incident and said that FC went to maintain peace in the area but some elements trying to create disturbance that will be dealt with an iron hand.

The province straddles a key NATO supply route into neighbouring Afghanistan and on Sunday gunmen torched three trucks carrying supplies to US-led troops.

Additional from BalochWarna.com: Meanwhile the Baloch National Voice has said that Pakistan military has launched an offensive and indiscriminate bombardment in the entire region where the battle took place. The BNV spokesperson said that dozens of innocent villagers have been arrested and taken to unknown locations by Pakistan security forces. The military operation is still continuing in several areas of Kohistan Marri. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2011/11/111121_balochistan_fc_clash_tk.shtml)