The Frontier Corps (FC) in Balochistan on Friday reportedly killed the alleged facilitator of the Mastung suicide bombing in an early morning shootout in Kalat district, officials said.

The operation was carried out on an intelligence tip-off about the presence of an alleged Islamic State (IS) operative identified as Hidayat Ullah in a house in Darenjo village of Kalat district, DawnNewsTV reported.

“The Frontier Corps (FC) raided the house and killed Hidayat Ullah after a strong resistance from him,” said Kalat Deputy Commissioner Qaisar Khan.

A senior FC official claimed that Hidayat Ullah was the alleged facilitator of Hafeez Nawaz, who had reportedly carried out the suicide bombing in Mastung last week which killed at least 149 people.

Balochistan Awami Party's (BAP) central leader Siraj Raisani was also among the dead when the bomber blew himself up during a corner meeting in Daringarh area of Mastung district. The Islamic State group had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier on Thursday, Deputy Inspector General Aitzaz Ahmed Goraya of the Balochistan police’s counterterrorism department told a press conference that the suicide bomber had been identified as Hafeez Nawaz, son of Muhammad Nawaz.

DIG Goraya said that Hafeez originally belonged to Abbottabad but he had been living in a village of Thatta district of Sindh for many years.

Mastung Deputy Commissioner Qaim Lashari also confirmed the Kalat raid. “Hidayat Ullah led a group of IS operatives, who are present in different areas of Balochistan, and we hope to track them down pretty soon,” Lashari added.

News of Hidayat Ullah's death coincides with a small explosion in Chaman district bordering Afghanistan which wounded four people.

The bomb planted on a motorbike apparently targeted an FC vehicle and went off seconds after it passed by.

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