QUETTA: Seven suspected militants belonging to a banned organisation were killed in a clash with security forces in Loralai district on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) said that an operation was conducted on the basis of intelligence reports about the presence of terrorists in the Kohar Dam area.

The CTD personnel, along with other security forces, cordoned off a compound which the terrorists were using as their hideout and asked them to surrender but they started firing.

The security personnel immediately returned fire. The exchange of fire continued for about two hours, resulting in the killing of seven armed men.

“Seven suspected terrorists were killed in heavy exchange of fire,” the CTD spokesman claimed. However, he said, three ‘terrorists’ managed to escape taking the benefit of darkness.

“A big quantity of arms and ammunition has been recovered from the compound,” he said, adding that the suspected terrorists killed in exchange of fire belonged to a banned outfit involved in terrorism.

A massive search operation has been underway in the area for the arrest of other members of the banned organisation.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2021