Search operations: Forces kill two militants, round up 35

Streets of Quetta deserted as most businesses kept their shutters down

QUETTA: At least two suspected militants were killed and 35 others were rounded up in Quetta in a search operation on Sunday, launched a day after a deadly suicide attack in the city’s red zone.

On Saturday, at least 12 people – including four paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) troops – were killed and 37 were injured when a suicide bomber targeted an FC convoy in Quetta’s Adalat Road. Khurasani Group, a faction of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to the FC spokesman, the paramilitary force along with personnel of intelligence agencies launched a search operation in Sariab and its adjoining areas of the provincial capital on the basis of a tipoff.

During the search operation, there was an exchange of fire in which two militants were killed and 35 others were apprehended. “These people are believed to have links with proscribed militant outfits,” the spokesman added. The FC also recovered a huge cache of arms and weapons from their possession.

“Two hand grenades, two SMGs, one Makarov pistol, one shotgun, seven TT pistols, one 9mm pistol, two .30 bore pistols and several rounds were also recovered from their possession,” he added. The suspects were shifted to an undisclosed location for investigation.

Quetta city wore a deserted look on Sunday as most businesses kept their shutters down to mourn Saturday’s killings while traffic on the road also remained thin. The FIR of the attack was also registered against unidentified persons on behalf of the SHO Civil Lines police station.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th,  2016.