Five alleged terrorists of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed during an operation by the Balochistan Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Aghberg area of Quetta, police said on Thursday. According to a statement released by the CTD, an operation was planned over information provided by an alleged TTP terrorist, identified as Naseebullah, who was in custody. The CTD added that during the course of an investigation, he revealed the presence of his associates in Quetta and divulged that they were “in advance planning of carrying out a terrorist activity in Quetta soon”. “An operation was planned and terrorists were identified over the information provided by the arrested accused person who was nominated in FIR number 84-2023,” the statement said. Elaborating on the details of the operation, the CTD statement said when police were setting up a security cordon outside the TTP hideout, terrorists opened indiscriminate fire and tried to escape.

 “Two terrorists tried to escape on a motorcycle but the raiding party took precautionary measures and retaliated,” it added. “Additional force was called and the fleeing terrorists were contained.” As a result, the CTD said, four TTP militants were killed, while the “arrested accused person” was severely injured by the firing of his associates. “He was rushed to the hospital but he succumbed to his injuries,” it said, adding that a sizeable quantity of ammunition and explosives were recovered from the crime scene including one suicide jacket, five hand grenades, two pistols, one rifle, two motorcycles, and explosive material. The statement highlighted that the slain alleged terrorists were involved in the killing of officials of the Eagle Squad and CTD in Kuchlak and Frontier Corps personnel at the Kuchlak Bypass.

 “This is a huge success for the CTD and law enforcement agencies as their efforts have prevented terrorists from carrying out another terror activity in Quetta,” it further said. The statement concluded that further investigation was under way. On Sep 2, the CTD said it had killed eight TTP and IS members in two intelligence-based operations conducted in Balochistan’s Quetta and Washuk districts on Saturday. The counter-terror police had said the first operation was conducted in a mountainous area near Kurragi village of Basima tehsil in Washuk, a district bordering Iran. As soon as counterterrorism officials cordoned off the area and launched the operation, the armed militants opened fire and lobbed hand grenades, prompting the raiding party to take positions and return fire.

“A heavy gun battle continued for an hour, resulting in the killing of five armed terrorists,” the CTD spokesperson had said, adding that the killed militants belonged to the outlawed TTP and had previously launched attacks on forces and citizens. However, three militants had managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)