QUETTA: The chief of the Balochistan chapter of outlawed Jaish-ul-Islam and two other suspected militants were killed in a gunbattle with security forces in the Eastern Bypass area on Tuesday morning.

Official sources identified the Jaish-ul-Islam chief as Mehmood-ur-Rehman Rind and accused him of being involved in suicide attacks and a series of subversive activities, particularly the killing of members of the Shia Hazara community.

The sources said that personnel of the Frontier Corps and intelligence agencies launched an operation in the Eastern Bypass area on information about presence of wanted militants.

The operation resulted in a heavy gunbattle between security forces and militants which lasted several hours, FC spokesman Khan Wasey said. Heavy weapons, including rockets and grenades, were used in the clash. Several blasts also took place.

“An FC soldier was injured in the exchange of fire. He was taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Quetta.

The spokesman said weapons and ammunition were seized from militants’ hideouts.

Meanwhile, spokesmen of FC and Balochistan Police said that in the wake of the killing of two Shia Hazara brothers and a policeman on Monday, raids were conducted in various localities, including Killi Diba, and 39 suspects were arrested.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2015

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