PKONWEB Report – Security forces killed nine Islamic State militants during an hours-long raid near Quetta in the restive southwest province of the country that has been hit by repeated jihadist attacks this month, officials said on Thursday.
Terrorists were killed during a search operation conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Kabo Koh Mehran area of Mastung district, Balochistan on Thursday.
Four members of the security forces were wounded in the operation, which started early on Thursday morning in a mountainous area in the Mastung district, 29 miles (47 km) from Quetta city.
“Nine bodies (of Islamic State militants) have been brought to hospital from Mastung,” Waseem Baig, a spokesman for Civil Hospital Quetta, told Reuters.
This was the second major terrorist attack in Balochistan within the last three days, as previously a luxury hotel in Gwadar- gateway to the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (CPEC) came under attack.
Security forces acted after a sudden surge in militant assaults across Pakistan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Five police were killed in the latest attack, on Monday night in Quetta, which was claimed by Islamic State (Daesh).
“We acted on intelligence reports of a Daesh hideout,” a senior official of the Counter Terrorism Department of Baluchistan police told Reuters, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
The terrorists were involved in carrying out attacks on security forces and citizens of Balochistan, reported Express Tribune citing sources.
“A sizable cache of arms and ammunition including rocket launchers, several suicide vests were also been recovered during the raid.”
Various militant groups are active in mineral-rich Baluchistan, with frequent attacks on gas and transport infrastructure and security posts.
On Saturday, the Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pearl continental hotel in the Indian Ocean port of Gwadar.
