ISLAMABAD, June 14 (Xinhua) -- At least five militants were killed in exchange of fire with police in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, officials said.
Sarfraz Bugti, the provincial home minister, said the policemen launched a search operation on an intelligence tip-off over the presence of suspected militants at airport road area of Quetta, the capital city of the Balochistan province.
The militants opened fire when police raided their hideout during the operation, but the cops thwarted the attack by killing all five militants inside the compound.
The minister said that the police also seized seven hand grenades, 15 kg explosive materials, two home-made bombs, three Kalashnikovs and two pistols from the hideout.
The militants, associated with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, were involved in target killing of policemen and security forces in the province, Bugti said.
Chief Minister Balochistan Sanaullah Zehri pledged to remove militancy from the province.
