Top militants among dozens held in sweep
Inter-Services Public Relations added that combing operations are under way across the country
PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
QUETTA/PESHAWAR/KARACHI:
Security forces have accelerated combing operations in the wake of Monday’s deadly carnage at a Quetta hospital, rounding up dozens of suspects in raids across the country on Friday.
At least six suspected militants, including two wanted commanders, were arrested during raids in Kallar Syedan and Gujjar Khan areas of Rawalpindi.
The military’s media wing said a cache of weapons and ammunitions, including several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), was seized from the terrorists.
The Inter-Services Public Relations added that combing operations are under way across the country to bust terrorist sleeper cells and eliminate hideouts in cities.
Bombers arrested
In Khyber Agency, officials claimed to have foiled a bid to bomb Independence Day functions by arresting four suicide bombers, who had arrived in Jamrud from Afghanistan.
Assistant Political Agent Ziaullah Marwat said at a news conference that Levies and Khasadar personnel conducted an intelligence-based operation in Shahkas area of Jamrud tehsil and seized
five suicide jackets from four suspects.
“All four of the bombers came from across the border,” he said, adding they were planning to carry out a massive attack in Peshawar on August 14. Each jacket weighed about five kilograms.
Sources told The Express Tribune that two of the suspects detained were women while the other two were officers of the political administration.
Marwat, however, maintained that all the bombers were men and had been noved to an undisclosed location for interrogation. “They wanted to target security installations,” he said, “and if they had managed to sneak through, it would have been catastrophic.”
The terrorists who carried out attacks on the Army Public School in Peshawar and Bacha Khan University in Charsadda had also used the same border route from Afghanistan via Khyber Agency to reach their target locations.
Karachi raids
In Karachi, more than 30 suspects were detained in a string of targeted raids in several areas by police and paramilitary Rangers. Since Monday, the forces have rounded up over 150 suspects, including alleged militants of banned outfits.
The latest combing operations were carried out in Jinnah Colony and Neelum Colony in Clifton, Bin Qasim Town, Korangi, Awami Colony and SITE areas. The suspects have been shifted to undisclosed locations for further questioning.
During the operations, the entire localities were cordoned off and no one was allowed to leave or come to the areas. Over 100 policemen took part in the raid in Clifton after information about the presence of suspected militants was shared with the law enforcers. About 15 suspects were apprehended after weapons were found on them.
The Rangers, meanwhile, arrested about 10 suspects in targeted raids in Bin Qasim and Korangi areas. The suspects were associated with banned militant outfits and weapons and ammunition were also seized, a Rangers spokesperson said.
Another six suspects were taken into custody during raids in Awami Colony in Korangi and SITE. Weapons, narcotics and snatched cellphones were said to have been found with the suspects.
Four militants killed
In Balochistan, security forces claimed to have killed four militants in Kohlu in another intelligence-based operation.
Frontier Corps spokesman said the paramilitary personnel along with intelligence agencies launched a raid against militants of a banned outfit when they were attacked. During the exchange of fire, the four alleged militants were gunned down.
The security personnel also claimed to have found weapons on the militants, who were said to be involved in targeted killings, bomb blasts and attacks on security forces.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2016.
Security forces have accelerated combing operations in the wake of Monday’s deadly carnage at a Quetta hospital, rounding up dozens of suspects in raids across the country on Friday.
At least six suspected militants, including two wanted commanders, were arrested during raids in Kallar Syedan and Gujjar Khan areas of Rawalpindi.
The military’s media wing said a cache of weapons and ammunitions, including several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), was seized from the terrorists.
The Inter-Services Public Relations added that combing operations are under way across the country to bust terrorist sleeper cells and eliminate hideouts in cities.
Bombers arrested
In Khyber Agency, officials claimed to have foiled a bid to bomb Independence Day functions by arresting four suicide bombers, who had arrived in Jamrud from Afghanistan.
Assistant Political Agent Ziaullah Marwat said at a news conference that Levies and Khasadar personnel conducted an intelligence-based operation in Shahkas area of Jamrud tehsil and seized
five suicide jackets from four suspects.
“All four of the bombers came from across the border,” he said, adding they were planning to carry out a massive attack in Peshawar on August 14. Each jacket weighed about five kilograms.
Sources told The Express Tribune that two of the suspects detained were women while the other two were officers of the political administration.
Marwat, however, maintained that all the bombers were men and had been noved to an undisclosed location for interrogation. “They wanted to target security installations,” he said, “and if they had managed to sneak through, it would have been catastrophic.”
The terrorists who carried out attacks on the Army Public School in Peshawar and Bacha Khan University in Charsadda had also used the same border route from Afghanistan via Khyber Agency to reach their target locations.
Karachi raids
In Karachi, more than 30 suspects were detained in a string of targeted raids in several areas by police and paramilitary Rangers. Since Monday, the forces have rounded up over 150 suspects, including alleged militants of banned outfits.
The latest combing operations were carried out in Jinnah Colony and Neelum Colony in Clifton, Bin Qasim Town, Korangi, Awami Colony and SITE areas. The suspects have been shifted to undisclosed locations for further questioning.
During the operations, the entire localities were cordoned off and no one was allowed to leave or come to the areas. Over 100 policemen took part in the raid in Clifton after information about the presence of suspected militants was shared with the law enforcers. About 15 suspects were apprehended after weapons were found on them.
The Rangers, meanwhile, arrested about 10 suspects in targeted raids in Bin Qasim and Korangi areas. The suspects were associated with banned militant outfits and weapons and ammunition were also seized, a Rangers spokesperson said.
Another six suspects were taken into custody during raids in Awami Colony in Korangi and SITE. Weapons, narcotics and snatched cellphones were said to have been found with the suspects.
Four militants killed
In Balochistan, security forces claimed to have killed four militants in Kohlu in another intelligence-based operation.
Frontier Corps spokesman said the paramilitary personnel along with intelligence agencies launched a raid against militants of a banned outfit when they were attacked. During the exchange of fire, the four alleged militants were gunned down.
The security personnel also claimed to have found weapons on the militants, who were said to be involved in targeted killings, bomb blasts and attacks on security forces.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2016.