Round them up: Six alleged militants killed in overnight raid
Three of the militants were killed when a bomb accidentally exploded in their hideout.
PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Rangers claim to have killed at least six alleged militants in separate raids and encounters in Orangi Town late Monday night. The law enforcers claimed to have foiled a major terror activity in the city and seized a large cache of explosives as well as arms and ammunition during a series of targeted operations in the city.
At least three militants were killed when the Rangers raided their hideout near Pareshan Chowk in Faqir Colony, Orangi Town, late on Monday night. "The terrorists opened fire at us, hurled hand grenades at our vehicles and then blew up the house they were in," Rangers Commander Brigadier Khurram stated during a press conference on Tuesday. As a result of the explosion, three of the alleged militants were killed while a fourth was arrested in an injured condition. Brig Khurram claimed they seized huge cache of explosives and weapons including Awan bombs, rifles, pistols, improvised explosive devices, a ready-to-detonate suicide vest, nuts, bolts and battery devices.
Following the explosion, a large contingent of Rangers was summoned to the site while the Sindh Rangers director-general, Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, also surveyed the area. Police officials, including personnel of the Counter-Terror Department, also reached the site and participated in the search operation that lasted till the early hours of Tuesday morning.
During the search operations, the Rangers claim to have killed three more militants in the same locality. "These militants again attacked the Rangers troops first by hurling hand grenades and opening fire at the troops," explained Brig Khurram. "In retaliation, the Rangers also fired back and killed three of them while another, who was wearing a suicide jacket, blew himself up."
The Rangers official claimed to have seized a large cache of weapons and explosives, including sub machineguns, repeaters, rockets, magnetic IEDs, six suicide jackets, 60 kilogrammes of explosives, three IEDs, ball bearings, 37 mobile phones, GPS, 100 SIM cards and explosive-laden motorcycles.
Brigadier Khurram revealed that during the second raid, the Rangers personnel had also rescued an abducted boy, identified as Fahad, who was kidnapped on May 6 from Baldia Town. He claimed the militants had demanded millions of rupees from his family as ransom money to release him.
Meanwhile, police sources told The Express Tribune that all six militants were killed by the explosion inside their hideout. The bomb was an improvised explosive device (IED) that exploded accidentally. The bodies were shifted to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification.
The area where the incident took place is notorious for the presence of militants affiliated with different splinter groups of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Several militants have been killed and arrested by the Rangers and police in the past. Residents claimed the Rangers had detained several suspects during the search operation in the area, including the owner of the house who had rented it out to the suspects recently. "We do not know who they were as they shifted here recently and usually stayed indoors," said a neighbour. "Everyone knows there are militants living in the area. The police and Rangers too usually avoid coming in this area without a proper contingent."
Rangers officials said the militants were planning to carry out a terrorist attack at Malir Cantonment.
On the other hand, a passerby was also killed in the exchange of fire between the Rangers and the suspects. Thirty-year-old Tauseef Kamran, son of Abdul Ghaffar, who used to work at the Liaquat National Hospital, was killed during the exchange of fire between Rangers and militants in Sadaf Colony, Orangi Town. SHO Chaudhry Tufail said the deceased was a resident of same area and was going somewhere when he was killed by the militants' gunfire.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 27th, 2015.
Rangers claim to have killed at least six alleged militants in separate raids and encounters in Orangi Town late Monday night. The law enforcers claimed to have foiled a major terror activity in the city and seized a large cache of explosives as well as arms and ammunition during a series of targeted operations in the city.
At least three militants were killed when the Rangers raided their hideout near Pareshan Chowk in Faqir Colony, Orangi Town, late on Monday night. "The terrorists opened fire at us, hurled hand grenades at our vehicles and then blew up the house they were in," Rangers Commander Brigadier Khurram stated during a press conference on Tuesday. As a result of the explosion, three of the alleged militants were killed while a fourth was arrested in an injured condition. Brig Khurram claimed they seized huge cache of explosives and weapons including Awan bombs, rifles, pistols, improvised explosive devices, a ready-to-detonate suicide vest, nuts, bolts and battery devices.
Following the explosion, a large contingent of Rangers was summoned to the site while the Sindh Rangers director-general, Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, also surveyed the area. Police officials, including personnel of the Counter-Terror Department, also reached the site and participated in the search operation that lasted till the early hours of Tuesday morning.
During the search operations, the Rangers claim to have killed three more militants in the same locality. "These militants again attacked the Rangers troops first by hurling hand grenades and opening fire at the troops," explained Brig Khurram. "In retaliation, the Rangers also fired back and killed three of them while another, who was wearing a suicide jacket, blew himself up."
The Rangers official claimed to have seized a large cache of weapons and explosives, including sub machineguns, repeaters, rockets, magnetic IEDs, six suicide jackets, 60 kilogrammes of explosives, three IEDs, ball bearings, 37 mobile phones, GPS, 100 SIM cards and explosive-laden motorcycles.
Brigadier Khurram revealed that during the second raid, the Rangers personnel had also rescued an abducted boy, identified as Fahad, who was kidnapped on May 6 from Baldia Town. He claimed the militants had demanded millions of rupees from his family as ransom money to release him.
Meanwhile, police sources told The Express Tribune that all six militants were killed by the explosion inside their hideout. The bomb was an improvised explosive device (IED) that exploded accidentally. The bodies were shifted to the Edhi morgue in Sohrab Goth for identification.
The area where the incident took place is notorious for the presence of militants affiliated with different splinter groups of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Several militants have been killed and arrested by the Rangers and police in the past. Residents claimed the Rangers had detained several suspects during the search operation in the area, including the owner of the house who had rented it out to the suspects recently. "We do not know who they were as they shifted here recently and usually stayed indoors," said a neighbour. "Everyone knows there are militants living in the area. The police and Rangers too usually avoid coming in this area without a proper contingent."
Rangers officials said the militants were planning to carry out a terrorist attack at Malir Cantonment.
On the other hand, a passerby was also killed in the exchange of fire between the Rangers and the suspects. Thirty-year-old Tauseef Kamran, son of Abdul Ghaffar, who used to work at the Liaquat National Hospital, was killed during the exchange of fire between Rangers and militants in Sadaf Colony, Orangi Town. SHO Chaudhry Tufail said the deceased was a resident of same area and was going somewhere when he was killed by the militants' gunfire.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 27th, 2015.