Five militants killed in Bannu shootout

Slain terrorists were involved in attacks on security forces

BANNU:

Five terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with police in the Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Sunday.

A police official told The Express Tribune that a joint team of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Bannu police raided a house in Zandi Falaksher area of the district where terrorists were hiding.

They were asked to surrender but they opened firing at the police.

“In an exchange if fire, five militants were killed while several others managed to escape under the cover of darkness,” he said, adding that three AK-47s, one 9mm pistol, one TT pistol, cartridges and a motorcycle in which explosives had been planted were recovered from the house.

“These militants belong to Akhtar Muhammad alias Khalil and Zar Gul groups,” he said.

The slain militants have been identified as Shah Fahad alias Shahid alias Mahmood, Noorudin alias Khalid alias Hafiz alias Bilal resident of Afghanistan currently residing in North Waziristan, Sabireen alias Abu Hirara alias Abu Bakar, Sher Zaman alias Siraj and Muhammad Iqbal alias Khalid resident of Lakki Marwat.

“Shah Fahad is the commander and Noorudin his deputy in the district. The other terrorists were also experienced target killers. They were involved in firing, bomb blasts, ambushes and hand grenade attacks on police and security forces,” the official claimed, adding that those who managed to escape were also high profile terrorists.

A search operation was initiated soon after the shootout in the area to arrest those who managed to escape.