Pakistani troops fought separatist insurgents who set up roadblocks in the restive northwestern region of Balochistan, leaving 18 paramilitary security forces and 23 rebels dead in some of the heaviest clashes in recent years,

The BLA, which has been waging an armed insurgency in the region for decades, later claimed responsibility for the attack. The separatist group has carried out a series of deadly assaults in recent years, often targeting security forces, ethnic Punjabis, and Chinese nationals working on development projects in Balochistan.

At least 18 soldiers of Pakistan's Frontier Corps (FC) have died during an operation in Mangocher, a city located in the Kalat district of Balochistan province, the country's military authorities confirmed on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the Mangochar area of Kalat district of the province on the night of January 31 and February 1 when terrorists attempted to establish roadblocks, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR),

Pakistani separatist militants claimed on Saturday an attack on a highway in a volatile southwestern province that killed 18 paramilitaries and seriously wounded three others.