LAHORE: Law enforcement agencies claimed to have killed two suspected terrorists in two targeted operations in Dera Ghazi Khan. The suspects were allegedly planning to attack Yaum-i-Ali processions and events in the city.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that a major terrorist attack had been averted because of an intelligence-based operation launched by the Punjab Rangers as part of Operation Raddul Fasaad.

It said the two suspected terrorists were “planning a major terrorist activity” and were killed in an exchange of fire during the operation. A bomb disposal squad team was also called in to defuse grenades and explosives.

A senior police officer requesting anonymity told Dawn that the two men killed were from the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and were living separately in Kot Mubarik and Saddar police precincts. He said they were planning to attack Yaum-i-Ali processions and events in the city on Sunday.

He said the Punjab Rangers and Dera Ghazi Khan police had conducted the two operations together. They had zeroed in on their hideouts and ordered them to surrender. He said the suspects had shot at the security officials who retaliated and killed the two men. He said they had also seized arms, ammunition and explosives from their hideouts.

The bodies were later taken to a morgue and in order to ascertain the identities of the two men.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2017