Karachi, Aug 10 (PTI) Pakistan’s security forces have killed five militants belonging to the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army, who were planning to carry out an attack, in the country’s restive Balochistan province.
The militants of the separatist outfit were killed following an intelligence-based operation in New Kahan Marri Camp in Quetta, a spokesman of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said.
The spokesman said the militants belonged to the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
We got intelligence inputs that militants belonging to the BLA were going to carry out subversive activities against a sensitive installation in Quetta. These militants were intercepted in New Kahan Marri Camp and asked to surrender, he said.
Instead of surrendering, they resorted to firing on the security forces, and in the ensuing shootout, five militants were killed, while 2 to 3 others escaped, the spokesman said.
Two of those killed have been identified as Khan Mohd and Jameel Ahmed while the identity of three others is being verified., he said, adding that two submachine guns, three hand grenades, and two motorcycles were recovered from the site.
On Monday evening, terrorists killed a civilian and injured five others when they hurled hand grenades at a stall in the city. The 25-year-old stall owner died in the blast while five others were injured and taken to a hospital.
The BLA in the last few years has carried out some major terror attacks in Pakistan.
In November 2018, three suicide bombers attacked the Chinese consulate in Karachi’s Clifton area but were killed by security forces before they could enter the building. Two security guards lost their lives.
In June 2020, the BLA claimed to be behind another terror attack on the Karachi Stock Exchange which was also foiled by policemen and security guards on duty as a result of which all four attackers were killed.
In January this year, terrorists shot dead 11 coal miners of the Hazara community after kidnapping them in the Mach area of the province.