QUETTA(National Times)- A violent clash between locals and armed men in Hanna Urak on the outskirts of the provincial capital resulted in the death of three people and injuries to at least nine others, prompting the provincial government to launch an operation in the area to eliminate the suspected terrorists.
At least four suspected attackers were killed and several policemen had sustained injuries in the operation, which was ongoing by the time this report went to press.
Officials said the clashes started after armed men attacked the Babri area on Sunday night. The locals responded by taking positions against the attackers, and a gun battle ensued. Home Minister Ziaullah Langove said three people were killed and nine sustained injuries in the incident, while at least seven people were kidnapped by the attackers.
Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar said the police, the Frontier Corps and other law enforcers reached the site as soon as the attack began and a search operation was underway.
Four killed in operation
In a subsequent operation, the government officials claimed that four attackers were gunned down by the law enforcers while at least nine policemen were injured in the shootout.
“Four ATF personnel were injured during an operation against the armed men launched in the area,” Shahid Rind, CM’s aide on media, confirmed. Later, the number of injured law enforcers rose to at least nine, as per the home minister.
Rind said an operation was ongoing in Hanna Urak Valley and Babri to eliminate “terrorist elements” from the area and ensure the protection of the lives and property of citizens. “Terrorists have suffered significant losses during the operation, while security forces are pursuing them in a highly professional manner,” Rind said, adding that security had been tightened at all entry and exit points to prevent the movement of alleged terrorists.
The home minister and CM’s media aide claimed that the attackers belonged to the banned TTP.
Committee formed
The operation came after the Balochistan government, in a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, decided to launch an “immediate sanitisation operation” in Hanna Urak and adjoining areas to eliminate alleged terrorists and their facilitators.
The meeting approved the activation of a joint checkpost where all law enforcement agencies would work together to monitor the movement of terrorists and ensure a safe environment for citizens. CM Bugti directed “indiscriminate action” against all those involved in terrorism, stressing that operations must continue until perpetrators are brought to justice.
The CM also formed a committee, including Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove and Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar, to negotiate with the protesters, besides ordering assistance for the affected families within two days.
