Pakistan forces foil suicide attack, kill five: police

[1]

Pakistani security forces on Tuesday foiled a major attack when they killed in a firefight five militants - three of them women - wearing suicide vests, officials said.

The incident took place near a security post outside the southwestern city of Quetta, the capital of restive Baluchistan province.

"The militants, armed with guns and bombs, were travelling in a car. Police intercepted them but they tried to flee, triggering an exchange of fire. All five attackers have been killed," city police chief Daud Junejo said.

The group threw hand grenades at the checkpost in Quetta's Kharotabad neighbourhood and opened fire on the troops inside, he said, adding that it was not their planned target and they had been travelling on the airport road.

"The troops retaliated and killed all of them," he said.

"No security official was hurt, it's all ok, it's over now."

A security official later said a paramilitary soldier had been wounded in the crossfire and died in hospital.

"He was accidentally hit by a stray bullet," the official said requesting anonymity.

Colonel Faisal Shehzad, a paramilitary Frontier Corps officer, said it appeared the militants were killed before they could reach their objective.

"They were looking for a major target, but we foiled their attempt," he said.

The attackers wore suicide vests, he said, adding that the women could be Chechen and an investigation had been ordered.

Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants have been blamed for bombings targeting civilian and government security targets across Pakistan that have killed nearly 4,400 people.

Impoverished Baluchistan is also wracked by an insurgency waged by ethnic Baluch tribes seeking greater autonomy from the federal government and a greater share of profits from the region's wealth of oil and gas resources.