Five TTP men killed in Rajanpur district

Huge cache of arms and ammunitions, including hand grenades recovered

DG KHAN: Security forces mounted a raid on a militant hideout and killed five Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operatives in a fierce gunbattle in the Rojhan area of Punjab’s southern Rajanpur district on Saturday.

According official sources, Multan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) had received a tip-off regarding the presence of around eight to 10 terrorists of the Punjabi Taliban group in the riverine Gada Nar area of Rojhan.

The CTD officials raided the place at around 10pm and besieged the hideout of the militants, who resorted to heavy firing. In the ensuing gun battle, the security forces killed five of the militants while the rest of them managed to flee.

Police recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunitions, including hand grenades, Kalashnikovs and rounds of bullets. This is the same area, where security forces in April launched extensive Zarb-e-Ahan operation against criminal elements including the Chottu gang.

The Rojhan area of Rajanpur is a riverine tract situated on the junction of three provinces – Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. Due to its difficult terrain, this area is said to be a haven of different criminal elements and militant groups.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2016.