KARACHI: A month after the killing of a dozen militant Islamic State group fighters in the Mastung area of Balochistan, two suspects belonging to the banned terrorist outfit were shot dead in an exchange of fire with law enforcers on the outskirts of Karachi on Monday afternoon.

The militants, who had a hideout in Shah Latif Town, were allegedly involved in the targeted killing of more than a dozen people, including a deputy superintendent of police, according to officials.

The encounter took place at around 2pm when the Shah Latif Town police acting on information conducted a targeted raid on a house in Sector 21-B of Shah Latif Town, said SHO Amanullah Marwat.

While the police had surrounded their hideout, the militants opened fire on the officials. In an ensuing exchange of gunfire, both the militants were killed.

Suspects believed to be involved in attacks on police, along with sectarian killings

One of the deceased was identified as Abu Huzaifa, while the name of the other militant could not be ascertained immediately, said SHO Marwat.

“Abu Huzaifa was involved in the killing of around 15 men, including DSP Traffic Faiz Shigri,” said the officer.

DSP Shigri was shot dead while his driver was wounded in a targeted attack in Gulistan-i-Jauhar in November 2016.

Just before the killing of DSP Shigri, the same attackers had also opened fire on the vehicle of Gulberg DSP Traffic Zafar Hussain near Samama Shopping Centre in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. However, he remained unhurt.

“Abu Huzaifa was previously associated with the banned Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), but later on he joined IS,” said Malir SSP Rao Anwar.

‘IS network expanding’

The officer believed that the IS network was ‘expanding’. He said they were also involved in the killing of Shia community members on sectarian grounds.

Besides, the militant was also involved in the targeted killing of a doctor belonging to the Ahmadi community in the Sachal area, the officer added.

The SSP said some members of the outfit were killed by security forces in Balochistan’s Mastung area.

The security forces had killed 12 “hardcore terrorists” belonging to the IS in the Splinji area of Mastung district last month. Among those killed were the top and mid-ranking leadership of IS in Pakistan. Eight security personnel, including two officers, were wounded in the intelligence-based operation.

The area was being used as an operational base of IS and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi Al Alami in Balochistan, according to officials.

Meanwhile, the Shah Latif Town police claimed to have seized an 8mm rifle, a TT pistol and a snatched motorcycle from the custody of the deceased militants.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2017