Two TTP terrorists killed in Karachi

KARACHI: A terrorist attack in Karachi was foiled after two “most wanted terrorists”, belonging to a banned outfit, were killed in an exchange of fire with Rangers and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in a late night joint operation, authorities said on Wednesday.

According to a press release, the Rangers and CTD conducted an intelligence-based joint operation in the metropolis’ Baldia Town where the alleged terrorists were killed. The authorities said the pair were affiliated with the proscribed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) “Ustad Aslam Group”.

The terrorists, when they came to know about the advancing forces, started indiscriminate firing, the statement said. “They were repeatedly asked to drop their weapons and surrender through megaphone, however, the terrorists continued to fire,” it added.

The two were subsequently killed in retaliatory firing. Two SMGs, two 9mm pistols, ammunition and explosives were recovered from them.

The suspects had recently come to Karachi from Afghanistan and were planning to carry out “a major terrorist attack” in Karachi, the press release said. The Sindh government had also fixed a reward of Rs 2 million for the arrest of one of the terrorists — identified as Muhammad Rafiq. The other was identified as Adnan Shabbir alias Qari.

The statement said both were involved in blasts, bank robberies, sectarian killings and a number of targeted killings of law enforcement agencies’ officials.