- CTD raids Manghopir house after intelligence on terrorists presence.
- One militant involved in past attack on Chinese nationals, says CTD.
- House cleared by bomb squad; police probing landlord’s identity.
KARACHI: Three suspected terrorists were killed in a police shootout during a raid in Karachi’s Manghopir area early Monday, according to officials from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
The operation was launched after intelligence suggested that members of the banned militant outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were hiding in a house in the neighbourhood.
As the police surrounded their hideout, the suspects engaged the raiding officers in an intense exchange of fire, resulting in the deaths of all three.
Speaking to reporters outside Civil Hospital, CTD DSP Raja Umar Khattab confirmed that two of the dead suspects had been identified as Zafran and Qudratullah.
“Zafran had a bounty of Rs20 million placed on his head by the government, while the third suspect has yet to be identified,” Khattab added.
According to the CTD, one of the slain militants was a suicide bomber. Officials believe he was involved in last year’s attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi.
Explosives, suicide vests, hand grenades, and a diary listing potential targets were recovered from the house. The bomb disposal squad completed a search of the premises after the operation.
Raja Umar Khattab added that all militants inside the house were killed and that the authorities were now gathering information about the owner of the property where the suspects had taken shelter.
