KARACHI: An operation by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Shah Latif Town area of the city resulted in the death of four suspected terrorists and left two CTD personnel injured. The raid also led to the recovery of a significant cache of explosives and weapons.
According to CTD officials, the operation was launched late last evening based on intelligence gathered from three terrorists who were arrested last month. “We were conducting an investigation into the terrorists arrested previously with explosives. Acting on their identification, a raid was conducted in Shah Latif Town,” explained DIG CTD Azfar Mahesar while speaking to the media.
As the raiding party surrounded the house, the suspects inside opened fire, triggering a heavy exchange of gunfire with the police team. In a unusual turn of events, CTD officials claimed that four of the terrorists were killed not by police bullets, but by the fire of their own comrades during the chaotic shootout.
DIG Mahesar provided further details on the incident, stating, “During the raid, the suspects inside the house opened fire, which also resulted in injuries to the arrested terrorists we had brought for identification. In the ensuing exchange of fire, one terrorist was killed inside the house. The three injured terrorists succumbed to their wounds before they could be transported to the hospital.”
The deceased were identified as Jalil, Niyaz, and Hamdan. Officials confirmed that some of the accomplices managed to escape during the initial moments of the confrontation, prompting the CTD to cordon off the area and launch a search operation to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Following the gun battle, a thorough search of the premises was conducted. The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was summoned to the scene after the initial recovery of explosives. “Explosives were recovered from the house, which were subsequently defused by our team,” a CTD spokesman said.
The BDS team revealed the extent of the militant setup discovered inside. “According to initial information, it appears that Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were being assembled in drums within the house. We have also recovered detonators, detonating wires, and circuits,” a BDS official stated.
In addition to the bomb-making materials, DIG Mahesar confirmed the recovery of five hand grenades, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, and an SMG (Submachine Gun) from the location. The injured CTD personnel have been shifted to a hospital for medical treatment, and further investigations are underway to trace the network of the escaped terrorists.
