Countrywide crackdown on terrorists continues

Dozens killed, hundreds arrested; 11 foreigners, two TTP commanders among those killed

ISLAMABAD: Security forces on Sunday continued a crackdown on terrorists across the country and killed dozens of them while nearly 200 suspects, including Afghan nationals, were arrested.

Security sources said terrorists and soldiers faced off at Speerkait in Tora Warai, central Kurram Agency. An exchange of fire took place in which 15 militants, including 11 foreigners, were killed and seven others injured. Two TTP commanders, identified as Amin Shogray and Zubair alias Sangray, were among those killed. They were trying to enter the Kurram Agency from Afghanistan. The fleeing militants abandoned 11 bodies and escaped to mountains. Two soldiers were injured in the clash.

In Layyah, at least five terrorists were gunned down by the personnel of the Counterterrorism Department. According to CTD personnel, three of the terrorists’ accomplices managed to escape. The personnel informed the press that immediate steps were being taken for their arrest, adding that a heavy cache of weapons and maps of sensitive sites were seized from them. They said the terrorists were affiliated with the Jamaatul Ahrar and wanted to target a sensitive religious site in Multan.

In Quetta, security forces killed a most wanted terrorist on the New Saryab Road.A search operation was carried out in District Kasur in which 31 Afghan nationals were arrested. Police confiscated four rifles, 10 pistols and bullets from them.

Two Afghan nationals were picked from the Khanpur Landa Bazaar after police and intelligence agencies raided the Zahir Pir area.

The Peshawar Police said 60 suspects, including 27 Afghans, were arrested in search operations in the city. Weapons and narcotics were recovered from them.The Bannu Police said 63 suspects were arrested during a search operation in the city and weapons were recovered from them.

Mianwali DPO Sadiq Ali Dogar said police and intelligence agencies conducted a search operation in Chador and nabbed 15 suspects.Vehari DPO Umar Saeed Malik said 23 people, including 15 fugitives, were arrested in the district.

The Faisalabad Police caught 35 suspects in various areas of the district. A police spokesman said after the terrorist attacks in Lahore and Sehwan Sharif, an operation was launched and 35 people were arrested. Biometric verification of dozens of them was carried out.