Raids and encounters: Man allegedly behind Kamra Base attack killed

A group of heavily armed men had stormed the PAF Minhas airbase in August 2012.

KARACHI: An alleged mastermind of the attack on the Kamra Base was killed in an alleged encounter with the paramilitary forces in Karachi on Friday.

A joint raid was conducted by the police and the Rangers at the militant's hideout in Mauripur's Musharraf Colony in the early hours of Friday. Upon seeing the law enforcers, the militant resorted to indiscriminate firing. However, in retaliation, the law enforcers fired back and during the exchange of fire, a militant was killed.

Later, the law enforcers recovered his body and identified him as Bilal Khan. The Rangers spokesperson claimed that Khan was associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Al-Qaeda.

He said that the terrorist was the mastermind of the Kamra Base attack, preparing and then sending the suicide bomber, Taimur, to the base. Sub machineguns and awan grenades were also recovered, the spokesperson added.

A group of heavily armed militants stormed the Pakistan Air Force's Minhas airbase at Kamra in August 2012, leading to an intense gun battle that lasted almost five hours, in which all the attackers were killed. The militants were armed with automatic weapons, grenades and suicide vests.

Wanted criminal killed

Meanwhile, Pakistan Rangers Sindh conducted a targeted raid in Macchar Colony on the hideout of alleged Lyari gang members.

A wanted gangster, Nauroz Chandio, was killed in an encounter that followed. Chandio was wanted for more than 30 cases of murder, robbery and extortion.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2014.