Five suspected terrorists killed in gunfight with CTD near Attock

ATTOCK: At least five suspected militants were killed on Tuesday during an intelligence-based operation and subsequent gunfight with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) near the border area of Attock in Punjab.

A spokesperson said that the CTD executed a targeted raid aimed at arresting the suspects, who open-fired on the police team, triggering a fierce shootout.

“The CTD personnel retaliated in self-defence, resulting in the deaths of five terrorists,” a CTD spokesperson said in a statement.

“These militants had already finalised plans to launch major terror attacks across various areas of Punjab.”

Forensic teams and security forces also claimed to have recovered a suicide vest, hand grenades, two submachine guns, a large cache of ammunition and explosive material from the scene of the clash.

Authorities said the process of identifying the deceased militants is currently under way.

Following the encounter, security forces cordoned off Attock’s border sectors and adjoining localities, launching an intensified search operation to track down any remaining accomplices or facilitators.

The raid comes on the heels of a massive counter-terrorism sweep three days ago, when Pakistani security forces killed 21 militants during multiple intelligence-based operations in Miran Shah and surrounding areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.