Militants attack a security post in southwest Pakistan and trigger a clash that leaves 15 dead

By ABDUL SATTAR
Associated Press

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani officials say five heavily armed militants have attacked a security post in southwest Pakistan, triggering an intense shootout that left nine soldiers, five attackers and a female passerby dead. The newly formed militant group Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the military said Wednesday “a group of terrorists launched a dastardly attack” in the garrison district of Zhob in southwestern Baluchistan province. It said the militants’ attempt “to sneak into the facility was checked by soldiers on duty.”  The shootout left three militants and four soldiers dead while five troops were critically wounded.