Ambush kills 14 Pakistani soldiers

Unidentified gunmen have ambushed a paramilitary convoy in Pakistan's volatile southwestern Balochistan Province, killing at least 14 soldiers and wounding several others. The ambush took place before dawn in the Musa Khel district, 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of the provincial capital Quetta. The soldiers came under attack while guarding a private coal-mine project in the remote region. “Fourteen paramilitary personnel, including a major, were killed and several others were wounded. Baloch militants were involved,” AFP quoted a military spokesman as saying. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistani authorities say such attacks are carried out by Baloch rebels, who staged an uprising against the central government demanding more autonomy. Despite the Pakistani government's frequent offensives against militants, they have been able to spread their influence in various regions of the country. Since late 2009, there has been a surge in militant attacks in Pakistan. Over 35,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives in bombings and other militant attacks since 2007, according to the Associated Press. The violence and militancy has also displaced millions more among the populace.