Pak forces kill 13 militants after murder of migrant workers

Pakistani security forces today killed at least 13 militants who were allegedly involved in the massacre of 20 ethnic Punjabi and Sindhi workers in troubled southwestern Balochistan province, officials said.
The dead militants include rebels who raided a camp of construction workers in Gagdan area of Turbat city killing at least 20 labourers and injuring 3 others, forcing the forces to launch an operation.
A security official said that banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) militants were involved in the attack and they were targeted by the forces near Turbat.
He said forces raided a hideout of militants and killed 13 of them after a fierce gun battle.

Turbat is the home town of Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch and is considered as stronghold of BLF.
The Baloch nationalists are involved in an insurgency and often target common people from other provinces and security forces.
BLF is among several nationalist and separatist groups behind a years-long, low-level insurgency in Baluchistan demanding a greater share of gas and mineral revenue for the Baloch minority and complete autonomy from Islamabad.