A suspected Daesh commander was fatally shot during a successful operation conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Mastung, Balochistan, according to officials on Wednesday.
The CTD, which uses the Arabic acronym for the ISIS militant group, reported that its personnel launched the operation and encircled the suspect, urging him to surrender. However, the suspect opened fire and attempted to flee the scene. As a result, the CTD personnel were compelled to engage in crossfire, ultimately leading to the elimination of the suspect.
The statement revealed that the deceased individual was allegedly involved in numerous high-profile terrorist activities in the province. These include the attack on Maulana Ghafoor Haideri, a leader of the political party Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, the suicide attack on lawyers in Quetta in 2016, the suicide attack on Sirajul Haq, the chief of the political party Jamaat-i-Islami, multiple suicide attacks on the Sibi Mela and Quetta police, as well as the brutal killing of Hazara coal miners in Mach.
It further stated that the suspect had joined Daesh in 2015 after receiving training from the banned militant organization, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in Waziristan. The CTD confirmed that they are currently conducting further investigations in the matter.
In a separate operation conducted by the CTD in Quetta’s Aghberg area, five alleged TTP terrorists were neutralized last week. Additionally, in two intelligence-based operations executed in Quetta and Washuk districts on September 2, the CTD had successfully eliminated eight TTP and ISIS members.
A recent United Nations report, discussed at a Security Council meeting in New York, revealed the TTP and other groups associated with the Taliban and Al Qaeda were supplying ISIS with NATO-grade weapons.
The successful operations conducted by the CTD highlight the government’s commitment and determination to eradicate terrorism from Balochistan and ensure the safety and security of its citizens.