Mehran airbase attacker killed in gunfight, Rangers claim

Omar Hayat was also involved in Karachi airport attack

KARACHI: Sindh Rangers have identified five of the seven terrorists killed in Sunday’s gunfight as members of a banned outfit, including one involved in the 2011 Mehran airbase assault.

The seven terrorists – five of them belonging to Lashkar-e-Jhangvi – were killed in a gunfight with the paramilitary force in the Shah Latif neighbourhood of Karachi. The firefight was triggered by a Rangers raid on the hideout of the terrorists.

Security forces have stepped up operations against terrorists and their facilitators across the country following a string of deadly bomb and suicide attacks that left dozens killed and many more injured.

A Rangers spokesperson identified the five terrorists as Omar Hayat, alias Qari, Amir Ali Chaudhry, Ahmed Feroz, Shakeel, alias Burmi, and Aqib Yousuf. All of them had been involved in various terrorist attacks.



Omar Hayat had been involved in several high-profile cases of terrorism, including the deadly attacks on Mehran airbase, Karachi airport and on mourning processions during Muharram in 2009, according to the spokesperson. He was a close confidante of LeJ chief Asif chhoto.

Chhoto, who became the LeJ chief following the death of Malik Ishaq and carried a bounty of Rs3 million, was killed along with his three associates near Lahore on January 18 this year.

Amir Chaudhry, an expert in anti-drone technology, had also been involved in the Karachi airport attack.