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Five heavily armed militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban (Pakistan) have been killed after security forces managed to regain control of the Karachi police chief’s headquarters building, which came under a daring attack by militants. militants in the most populated area of the country. city.
The nearly four-hour-long operation to retake control of the five-story building came to a dramatic end around 10:50 p.m. with four other people including two police officers, a ranger staff member and a civilian , who were also killed in the intense exchange of fire that took place between TTP militants and security forces.
A senior security source said five terrorists were killed during the operation.
He said three were killed in the lengthy firefight while two blew themselves up, also causing some damage to one floor of the building.
Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab said on Twitter that he could confirm that the Karachi Police Office (KPO) building had been cleared. “Three terrorists have been neutralized,” he said.
It added that four other people, including the two police officers, ranger personnel and a civilian, had been killed, while 17 others were admitted to hospital with injuries.
There were conflicting reports on the number of terrorists who attacked and entered the building, but police sources put the number down to eight.
“A clear picture will be known tomorrow as the combing and cleaning operation is meticulously carried out in the building after taking control,” a senior police official said.
“But the identification process is still going on, it will be a while before we can say exactly how many terrorists attacked the building,” he said.
Senior Police Officer, DIG South Irfan Baloch said they also found two cars with their doors open, one at the rear entrance of the building and another at the front in which the terrorists arrived at around 7:10 p.m. on Friday,” said.
Baloch said the bomb disposal squad combed both cars for explosive devices and also the terrorists’ suicide vests.
“They arrived prepared for a confrontation and had sophisticated weapons and explosives, they managed to enter the building wearing police uniforms.”
The attack is a cause of great concern and embarrassment for the provincial government as the Karachi police chief’s office and Saddar police station are located on the main road of Shahrah-e-Faisal, which serves as the main thoroughfare of Karachi. with a number of strategic facilities including the Faisal Pakistan Air Force Base and five-star hotels in close proximity.
Foreign cricketers currently competing in the Pakistan Super League stay at these hotels with Karachi hosting matches on Saturday and Sunday.
But Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said the PSL parties would not be affected by the incident.
A senior police official said that as soon as the terror attack happened, security was increased at the team hotels and also at the National Stadium where the matches are held.
Police closed the Shahrah-e-Faisal road linking downtown Karachi to the airport during the operation to evacuate the building, but the road was reopened at midnight.
Since the ceasefire agreement between the TTP and the government broke down in November last year, terrorists have intensified attacks on security forces and installations and even on mosques and markets in different parts of the country, but Karachi has not has witnessed no major incident for some time. .
The latest major incident occurred in June 2020 when four militants from the banned Baloch Liberation Army insurgent group attacked the Karachi Stock Exchange, killing three people, but committed suicide themselves when they tried unsuccessfully to enter the premises of the stock Exchange.
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The outlawed TTP that claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack has carried out daring terror attacks on security facilities in Karachi in the past, most notably when they attacked the PNS Mehran base in 2011.
The hit-and-run operation lasted 17 hours and resulted in the deaths of 10 security personnel. Two US-made surveillance planes were also destroyed in the attack.
In 2014, the TTP also attacked the old terminal of Jinnah International Airport, resulting in the loss of 24 lives and property damage.