Pakistani security forces kill 27 insurgents during raid in Balochistan

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces raided a militant hideout on Monday, killing 27 insurgents, the military said.

The operation in southwestern Pakistan was conducted in Kachhi, a district in Balochistan province, the military said in a statement. Security forces were acting on intelligence.

The slain “terrorists were involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians,” and were being sought by law enforcement agencies, the statement said.

It provided no further details about the slain men, but small Baloch separatist groups and Pakistani Taliban have a strong presence in Balochistan, which is the scene of a long-running insurgency, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks, mainly on security forces.

The separatists are demanding independence from the central government.