KARACHI: Three people, including a woman and a child, were killed in an armed clash between security forces and suspected militants in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province today.
A senior police official said that three people including the woman and child had died in the exchange of fire between militants and security forces in Kharan district.
"The exchange of fire took place after militants opened fire on a vehicle of the security forces passing through Kharan," he said.
He said no personnel of the security forces was killed and the dead were civilians.
"The woman and child died on the spot in the cross fire. The forces narrowly escaped the attack," he said.
Security forces quickly retaliated and the attackers sped away in their vehicle.
More personnel of Frontier Corps were called in the area to launch a search operation for the militants involved in the attack.
Balochistan has been badly hit by attacks from militants and separatists on government installations and security forces while sectarian violence has also taken a toll in the resource-rich province which is among Pakistan's most backward regions.