Militants Killed in Clash With Pakistan Paramilitary Soldiers

Two militants blew themselves up while at least four others were killed during a clash with paramilitary soldiers in Pakistan's restive southwestern province of Baluchistan on Friday, a spokesman said.

The incident took place in the Sanjavi neighbourhood of Loralai district, 300 kilometres (187 miles) east of the provincial capital Quetta.

"Four militants were killed while two others blew themselves up in an operation conducted by Frontier Corps (FC)... the operation is still under way," a spokesman for the soldiers told AFP.

He added that a large cache of ammunition, including explosive materials and suicide vests, were seized from insurgents.

The spokesman said that the militants had taken shelter in the area after fleeing a long-running military offensive.

"They were involved in kidnapping for ransom," he said.

Baluchistan is plagued by violence, with an armed separatist movement seeking larger control over the province's rich oil, gas and mineral resources.

It is also wracked by Taliban attacks and sectarian unrest. A number of foreign nationals have been kidnapped there in recent years.

Last week, four policemen including a local police station chief were killed in a rocket attack on their vehicle.