Suicide vest, explosives recovered in Khyber

PESHAWAR: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has recovered a suicide jacket and explosives during an operation in Khyber district, officials said on Wednesday.

The officials said the CTD had been tipped off about the presence of three alleged terrorists identified as Abdul Wakil, Imran Ali and Jamroz Khan in Sheen Qamar area in Khyber who were planning to stage sabotage activities. They said an operation was conducted along with an intelligence agency in the area but the terrorists managed to escape from the spot.

The CTD and other personnel recovered one suicide jacket, four artillery shells, six hand-grenades, 200 anti-aircraft guns, two IEDs and other explosives from a tunnel in a mountain. On Tuesday, the CTD Mardan region arrested two alleged terrorists from Charsadda for having links with spying agencies of two neighbouring countries.

The official said the held terrorists were wanted for involvement in a suicide attack on the district courts in Mardan in 2016.

At least 12 people were killed and over 50 injured in a suicide attack on Mardan courts in 2016. “The CTD commandoes arrested two terrorists Wakhir and Mohammad Raziq during an operation in Tangi, Charsadda when they were planning an attack. Hand-grenade, three mortar shells and one kg explosive powder were recovered from the held terrorists,” the official said.

He added the held terrorists also disclosed names of other accomplices and members of the ring that were being kept secret. The official disclosed the two held terrorists wanted in 2016 suicide bombing in Mardan courts had links with Indian spy agency RAW and Afghan intelligence agency NDS.

The CTD has accelerated operations and arrested a number of terrorists carrying head money worth millions of rupees. Those arrested included four terrorists from Bannu carrying head money of Rs8 million. Many others were arrested from different other districts for involvement in terror attacks.