Officials: 16 militants, 2 soldiers killed in Pakistan raids

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s security forces say they have killed 16 militants in separate shootouts during raids against extremists and separatists, with two soldiers killed in the process. One raid was conducted in the Mastung area of Baluchistan province, the provincial counterterrorism department said in a statement. Earlier in the week, a bomb attack killed a police officer and wounded 19 others in the same area. The statement said militants opened fire on police triggering a gun battle that left nine “terrorists” dead. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but the bombing earlier in the week was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban.