Separatist insurgents in Pakistan’s resource-rich Balochistan province said they shot down an army helicopter during a flood relief operation on Monday, killing all six people on board, including a senior army commander.
A senior military official denied the rebels’ allegations, calling them propaganda and fake news. According to the military, the helicopter crashed due to bad weather.
The Baloch group Raj Agoy Sangar, which operates under the auspices of the Baloch rebel groups, said in a statement that its fighters shot down a “low-flying helicopter” with an anti-aircraft gun.
The group did not provide evidence for this. Reuters was unable to independently verify this claim.
Baloch militants have led an insurgency against the Pakistani government in the southwestern province for decades, complaining that its rich gas and mineral resources are unfairly benefiting other parts of the country.
Source: El Nashra