Col martyred, Pak army kills LeJ commander involved in killing over 100 Hazara people

RAWALPINDI: Security forces late on Wednesday carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Killi Almas area of Balochistan, killing a high value target of LeJ involved in assassinations of over 100 innocent  people  of Hazara Community and police personnel, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

According to Army's media wing, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in Killi Almas on the pointation of an under custody suspect about the presence of suicide bombers along with other terrorists in hideouts located in the vicinity.

Three militants were killed in the firefight that erupted, including Salman Badeni, the provincial commander of the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). While two of the killed terrorists were suicide bombers belonged to Afghanistan, said ISPR.

Badeni was wanted for his involvement in the killing of more than 100 people, including policemen and members of the Hazara community. He was described by ISPR as a high-value target.

During intense exchange of fire, Colonel Sohail Abid of Military Intelligence embraced martyrdom, the ISPR further said in its statement, besides injuries to four soldiers.

Two of the injured soldiers were in critical condition, the statement said.

Security forces have recovered a huge cache of munitions belonging to the terrorists killed the in the operation.

The latest action of security  forces was taken under ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, which has been   eliminating residual and latent threat of terrorism to consolidate the gains of earlier military operations like Zarb-e-Azb, Rah-e-Raast and Rah-e-Najaat.