Security forces, CTD kill five BLA militants in joint op

At least five suspected armed militants belonging to a banned militant organisation have been killed in a gun battle with Balochistan chapter’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel and security forces in the New Marri Camp area of Hazarganji located in the provincial capital Quetta.

Acting on a tip-off based on intelligence reports, the CTD conducted a search operation in the area on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to CTD officials, the search operation in the New Marri Camp of Hazarganji was launched on reports that terrorists were planning to conduct terrorist attacks at important places of the provincial capital Quetta on the eve of Independence Day when the country will be celebrating its 74th birthday.

The CTD personnel and security forces cordoned off a compound in New Marri Camp area, a locality on the outskirts of Quetta city and ordered the suspected terrorists to surrender. However, the armed men hiding in the compound, instead of giving up, began indiscriminate firing on the CTD personnel which was responded befittingly.

The ensuing heavy gun battle lasted almost an hour, resulting in the killing of five suspected militants residing in the compound.

“Five suspected terrorists of banned outfit Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) were killed in the exchange of fire,” a senior CTD official said, adding that three armed men managed to escape from the compound taking advantage of the darkness.

The official added that arms and ammunition were recovered from the compound that included two sub-machine guns, three pistols, three hand grenades, two motorcycles, maps and important documents.

The bodies were shifted to civil hospital where two out of the five killed terrorists were identified as Jamil Ahmed and Muhammad Khan. The identity of the rest could not be ascertained as yet.

“They belong to the banned Baloch Liberation Army,” CTD officials said, adding that a massive operation has been launched for the arrest of the other suspected militants.

It may be recalled that three grenade attacks occurred in different areas of Quetta city during the last three days on pushcarts and a small shop that had been selling national flags. One person was killed and five others sustained injuries in these attacks. The banned BLA had claimed responsibility all the attacks.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2021.