DERA GHAZI KHAN-Eight suspected terrorists, said to be affiliated with the banned TTP/Al-Qaeda, were killed during a ‘combing operation’ conducted by the Counter-Terrorism Department while three others managed to escape the scene.
The operation was carried out in Tomi Wala in the remit of Gaddai Police late the other night.
According to the CTD and police sources, acting on a tip-off about the presence of 11 suspected terrorists, belonging to TTP and Al-Qaeda in Tomi area, DG Khan, the team of CTD raided a hideout to arrest the terrorists.
The raiding team warned the suspects to surrender but they, instead, resorted to intense firing and also lobbed hand grenades on the lawmen. The CTD party retaliated with firing and a shootout ensued that lasted for quite some time.
When the firing subsided and the CD personnel went forward, they found eight of the terrorists dead alleged killed by their three accomplices who made good their escape from the scene, taking advantage of the darkness of the night.
The CTD officials also seized three hand grenades, one automatic rifle, four pistols of 30 bore and a huge quantity of firearms from the scene.
According to an unofficial source, the dead terrorists were identified as Khurram, Abdul Hakeem, Abdul Jabbar, Shoukat, Rafiq, Bilal, Rasheed and Iftikhar. The CTD source informed that the suspected were trained terrorists and the department managed to thwart the terror plan after getting a tip-off about their planned attacks in Shujaabad and Multan. They informed that personnel of the CTD, the Punjab Police and intelligence agencies conducted massive combing operations in Shujaabad and did not let the terrorists to settle there or launch any attack.
The source claimed that it was during those combing operations that the CTD got a lead and source intelligence that the terrorists had changed their place and shifted to tribal area of DG Khan for changing their plans and tactics to make up for their failure in Shujaabad. Now their target was personnel of LEAs & their offices, the source added.
Further investigation is underway.