By Aamir Latif 

KARACHI, Pakistan

Heavily-armed militants stormed a military training center in southwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing four troops, the military said.

Four militants, including a suicide bomber who blew himself up during an exchange of fire, attacked the military center in Loralai district, located some 154 kilometers (96 miles) from Quetta, the capital of mineral-rich Balochistan province.

“Terrorists attempted to attack residential/administration compound of security forces in a training center at Loralai, Balochistan. Terrorists were challenged at entry point and denied entry in to residential/administration compound,” Pakistan army said in a statement.

“The valiant and timely action of security forces denied entry of terrorists into residential area which would have resulted into more number of casualties,” the statement said.

All four terrorists were killed in the operation, it added.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a conglomerate of different militant groups operating in the country, claimed the responsibility for the attack via social media.