Islamabad, Jul 15 (IANS): Two Pakistani security personnel were killed during an improvised explosive device explosion in Balochistan province, an army statement said on Thursday.

The Army launched a search operation following the incident to apprehend the perpetrators, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement.

"Such cowardly acts by inimical elements, backed by hostile intelligence agencies cannot sabotage the hard-earned peace and prosperity in Balochistan," xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

A spike in terrorist incidents targeting security forces has recently been witnessed in the country.

On Tuesday, two security personnel including an officer, and three terrorists were killed in a clash in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

On June 25, the ISPR said that five soldiers from paramilitary troops were killed after terrorists targeted a patrol party in Balochistan's Sibi district.