Four terrorists killed in DG Khan encounter

Local chief of al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, one of his accomplices manage to escape

DERA GHAZI KHAN: Four wanted terrorists, associated with Da’ish and al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), were killed in an encounter with the counter-terrorism department (CTD) and other law enforcement agencies in Punjab’s Dera Ghazi Khan district. However, AQIS local chief Shoaib Cheema and one of his accomplices managed to escape.

The joint operation took place Sunday night near Aliani village in Wador area of DG Khan on a tip-off regarding the presence of Shoaib Cheema and six other terrorists. The terrorists also hurled two hand grenades on the CTD team and used sophisticated firearms during the nearly two-hour encounter.



After the postmortem of the four bodies, they were shifted to Multan under strict security. CTD Multan has registered a case against the terrorists involved in the encounter on various charges including attacks on law enforcing agencies.

According to sources, Shoaib Cheema is an important commander of Da’ish and al Qaeda and he and his group have been involved in attacks on senior army officers and important installations. They were planning major attacks in the southern Punjab, they added.

After the encounter, the security personnel continued their search operation late into the night for Cheema and one of his accomplices who had managed to escape.

The deceased terrorists were identified as Nasir (resident of Faisalabad), Muhammad Tariq (Gujrat), Muhammad Usman (Gujranwala) and Muhammad Suleman (Lahore).



It may be recalled that Da’ish and al Qaeda wall-chalking with deadly threats to important personalities was seen in various areas of DG Khan including Kala, Wahwa and tribal areas. According to the sources, security agencies are keeping a vigilant eye on the movement of suspects in the neighbourhood. (TRANSLATION BY ARSHAD SHAHEEN)

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st,  2015.