Three Baloch separatists killed in Pakistan raid

Multan, Feb 04: Pakistani police on Wednesday raided a suspected hideout of an outlawed separatist group in eastern Punjab province, triggering a shootout that killed three insurgents, authorities said.

According to a statement by Kamran Hussain, an official with the counter-terrorism department, officers also seized a cache of weapons allegedly belonging to "terrorists from the outlawed Balochistan Republican Army."

The group is known for targeting Pakistani troops, police and gas pipelines in southwestern Balochistan province.

Balochistan has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by Baloch separatists who want a greater share of province gas and mineral revenue.

Although authorities often say they have quelled the insurgency in Balochistan, violence has continued there.