Three terrorists from banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including one allegedly involved in last year’s attack on Chinese engineers, were killed in a joint operation by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and intelligence agencies in Karachi’s Manghopir area late Sunday night.
On 5 November 2024, a private security guard at a textile mill in Karachi opened fire and seriously injured two Chinese nationals.
According to police, deceased suspect, identified as Zafran, had a Rs20 million bounty on him and was accused of involvement in the 2024 Liberty Textile attack targetting Chinese nationals. He was also linked to the Karachi Police Office (KPO) assault.
Read: Two Chinese injured in shooting at Karachi mill
The incident prompted a pledge by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to enhance security for Chinese citizens in Pakistan.
He emphasised that the protection of Chinese nationals remained a top priority, especially given ongoing China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, vital to the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Read more: Ensuring security of Chinese nationals govt's top priority: Mohsin Naqvi
CTD Chief Raja Umar Khattab said the raid was launched based on credible intelligence regarding a terrorist hideout in Fatima Society on Ijtema Gah Road.
Police said terrorists opened fire when they spotted them approaching, triggering a gunfight that lasted over an hour.
All three suspected terrorists were killed, said police, adding that a fully assembled suicide jacket, three grenades, a Kalashnikov rifle, two pistols and a large cache of ammunition were recovered from the site.
Moreover, police found a diary which listed two to three high-value prospective targets.
The second deceased suspect was identified as Qudratullah and the third's identity is yet to be confirmed.
The CTD chief said the three slain suspected terrorists belonged to TTP cell dispatched from Afghanistan. Intelligence officials had been surveilling the cell for several days, he added.
Khattab further added that the TTP cell in question is believed to have five members but only three were present at the safehouse during the raid.
A search operation in the area and further investigation are under way.
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