Islamabad: In an attempt to invade an army base in a mountainous region of southwest Pakistan, heavily armed militants killed nine soldiers, according to the military.

The Pakistan Army claims that "a group of terrorists" attacked the building in the early hours of Wednesday in the Balochistan Province city of Zhob.

Five attackers were killed in the "ensuing heavy exchange of fire" after the initial terrorist attempt to enter the facility "was checked by soldiers on duty." 

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Two militants and three Pakistani security personnel were killed in a new firefight that took place on Wednesday in the Sui area of Baluchistan.

Security forces are keeping up the pressure, and an operation to clear the area is under way to capture any remaining terrorists, according to the army.

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Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, has denounced the assaults. He sent his condolences to the families of the victims and stated on Twitter that "the ongoing war against terrorism is the war for the nation's future."

Rana Sanuallah, the interior minister, praised the bravery of the soldiers and said that they had given their lives to avert "a major catastrophe." 

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Both Islamist and separatist groups are active in Balochistan, despite the fact that the authorities avoided naming a specific organisation.