‘Da’ish militant’ slain near Murree

His accomplice evades arrest; both men were allegedly plotting an attack on a media outlet

ISLAMABAD: A militant with alleged links to the Islamic State or Da’ish was killed during a joint raid by security officials and law enforcement near the resort town of Murree on Friday.

According to reports, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and other law enforcers raided a house near Murree to nab the suspect.

Sources said the suspect attacked the raiding team with a hand grenade and was killed in the ensuing fire.

A CTD official has confirmed the militant’s death, but did identify him by name or share details of his affiliation.

However, according to unconfirmed reports, the militant’s name was Ehsan Satti. Another militant, Imran Satti, is believed to have escaped. It is not clear whether the two men were related to each other.

They were planning to attack media houses in the federal capital. CTD officials recovered improvised explosive devices, a rifle, a pistol, bullets and other weapons.

These terrorists were involved in the attack on the I-9 police post and a media house in Islamabad in 2015. Now they were planning more attacks on media houses and sensitive agencies.

Imran Satti is stated to be the head of Da’ish in the area. A FIR has been lodged and efforts are under way to nab him as well.

A CTD official was also injured during the encounter. The encounter came a day after CTD collared eight Da’ish suspects in Lahore.

It claimed to have busted an eight-member cell, following the arrest of the outfit’s Lahore chief in a raid on his house in the Cantonment area. (With additional input by the Associated Press of Pakistan)

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19^th, 2016.