Cleaning up: Police kill four suspected militants in Sohrab Goth

Five suspected foreign militants were detained in the targeted raid.

KARACHI: Law enforcers claim to have killed four more alleged militants affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the ongoing operation against militants in Karachi. Meanwhile, another suspected criminal was shot dead by the police in Orangi Town on Sunday.

Three of the militants were killed during a search operation conducted by District Malir police in different parts of Sohrab Goth, including Pioneer Homes, Deluxe Town and Afghan Basti. The operation commenced around 11am and was conducted on a tip-off regarding the presence of foreign militants in the area. A large contingent of police officials from District Malir, accompanied by police commandoes, participated in the operation. The law enforcers cordoned off the entire locality and sealed off all the entry and exit points.

The police faced heavy resistance from the militants during the operation. They, however, retaliated with full force. As a result of the onslaught, three militants were killed while the police managed to detain around a dozen suspects, including five foreign militants.

The detainees were shifted to an undisclosed location for further questioning. Police also claim to have seized around 15 kilogrammes of explosive material, four hand grenades and a large cache of ammunition.

The militants' bodies were taken to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification after medico-legal formalities were completed at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Forced to flee

Around half-a-dozen suspected militants managed to escape from Surjani Town, via Ayub Goth, in a rickshaw. One of them was, however, critically injured in the encounter. The suspects fled, leaving their injured companion to die. Police officials, who were following the fleeing militants, found his body and took it to the Edhi morgue for identification. District Malir SSP Rao Anwar, addressing the media at the operation site, confirmed that the militants killed during the exchange of fire were affiliated with the TTP.  He added that over 250 police officials, personnel and commandoes participated in the operation.

Separately, a suspected criminal was killed during an alleged encounter with the police in Orangi Town. District West SSP Irfan Baloch said that the encounter occurred when the culprits were looting cash from the cashier of a local hospital. The police personnel, who were on routine patrol at the time, reached the site and shot one of the criminals dead. A police constable was also injured in the exchange of fire. The suspect's body was taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for autopsy.

Operation clean-up

Police and Rangers have launched an operation against the militants in Karachi. The law enforcers have so far killed 15 militants in different parts of the city, including Manghopir, Pak Colony, Lyari, Mauripur, Baldia Town, Steel Town and Sohrab Goth, since the Pakistan Army has launched the offensive in North Waziristan. "We are taking action against the militants as they are planning to carry out major terrorist activities in Karachi to sabotage the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan," said a police officer of the SSP rank, on the condition of anonymity. Police officials claim they have been directed to eliminate terrorists from the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2014.