Four Pakistani soldiers have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in a southwestern town near the border with Iran, the army said.

The army said in a statement that another three troops were wounded in the blast on April 23.

Their vehicle was hit during a routine patrol in the town of Turbat in the restive province of Balochistan, officials said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Pakistan has been battling militancy for more than a decade.

The Balochistan region has seen some of the worst militant attacks this year in Pakistan.

Based on reporting by AP, DPA and AFP