CTD says it killed 10 militants in Balochistan’s Barkhan

QUETTA: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) said it killed 10 militants in an intelligence-based operation in the Rara Shum area of Balochistan’s Barkhan district, while police earlier separately reported that 10 people were found shot dead in the same area.

CTD account

As per security sources, the CTD said it killed 10 militants of what the state calls “Fitna al-Hindustan” in an operation carried out on credible information, as part of Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-3. It said a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the slain men and that two CTD personnel were wounded. Security forces, including police and the CTD, remained committed to eliminating the group from Balochistan, the department said.

Police account

Earlier police said 10 people were found shot dead in the Rara Sham area, with their bodies dumped in an isolated spot. The bodies were shifted to a local hospital, and an investigation has been launched.

According to police, the victims have been identified. Five were residents of Kohlu district, one belonged to Barkhan and one to Duki. Two others were from Sibi and North Karachi. The residence of the tenth was not specified.

Aide to Balochistan’s interior minister, Babar Yousafzai, earlier said the bodies had been moved to the District Headquarters Hospital for identification. He said hospital authorities were completing the necessary procedures and that it was too early to give a definitive account.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Balochistan for what he called a successful operation against “Fitna al-Hindustan” militants in Barkhan, in which the CTD says 10 militants were killed. He commended the department’s professionalism and said its timely action had foiled the militants’ “nefarious designs”.

“All institutions are committed to establishing peace in Balochistan,” Naqvi said, adding that he was proud of the “brave sons” of the CTD and that “the enemies of peace are being wiped out with the support of the nation”. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the two personnel wounded in the operation.