Four CTD personnel martyred, 13 militants killed in operations near Quetta

QUETTA: At least 13 militants were killed while four Counter-Terrorism Department personnel were martyred and six others injured in separate operations carried out by the CTD and security forces in areas near Quetta and in Pishin, officials said.

A CTD spokesperson said nine militants linked to a banned outfit were killed during an intelligence-based operation conducted in the Panjpai and Noshar areas on the outskirts of Quetta on Saturday. The spokesperson said the action was launched after authorities received information about the presence of militants in the area.

According to the spokesperson, the exchange of fire lasted for more than three hours and resulted in casualties on both sides. “A heavy gun battle continued for more than three hours. Nine terrorists were killed, while four CTD personnel embraced martyrdom and six others were injured in the intense exchange of fire,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said a large cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives and other equipment was recovered from the militants’ hideout. The bodies of the nine militants were shifted to Civil Hospital, while the injured personnel were moved for medical treatment. The bodies of the martyred CTD officials were later handed over to their families.

Provincial government confirms casualties

Shahid Rind, aide to the chief minister on media and political affairs, also confirmed the clash. He said four CTD personnel were martyred and nine militants belonging to a banned organisation were killed in the operation near Quetta.

Rind said security forces would continue taking strict action against militants and their facilitators with full force.

Separate operation in Pishin

In a separate operation in Pishin district late on Friday, the Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Department killed four militants during what officials described as an intense exchange of fire.

CTD spokesperson Babar Yousufzai said the operation was launched in the Surkhab refugee camp area, around 20 kilometres from Pishin town, after information was received about the presence of militants there.

He said four militants were killed in the heavy gun battle. A large quantity of arms and ammunition was also recovered from the hideout, including hand grenades, locally made bombs, automatic rifles and explosives.

The bodies of all four militants killed in the Pishin operation were shifted to Quetta Civil Hospital, according to the spokesperson.

The two operations together brought the number of militants killed to 13, according to the official account provided by CTD and provincial authorities. The casualties among CTD personnel were reported only from the Panjpai and Noshar operation near Quetta.