QUETTA: A top commander of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakis­tan (TTP) and three other militants of the group were killed in an exchange of fire with CTD officials during an operation in the Surkhab Afghan refugee camp area of Pishin.

The TTP commander was identified as Shakar Din alias Omer Khalid. Three other TTP militants were identified as Ahmedullah, Aminullah and Abdul Fatha, all Afghans.

A spokesman for the CTD said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the counterterrorism officials conducted an operation in the Afghan refugees’ camp on a tip-off about the presence of the members of the banned outfit.

The CTD personnel cordoned off the area and launched the operation in which the TTP militants opened fire and attempted to escape from the site, but security personnel took position and returned fire.

The heavy exchange of fire continued for over an hour, resulting in the death of the TTP commander and three TTP militants involved in attacks on members of security forces.

Officials said that on Feb 24 the militants had attempted to kill a CTD officer in the area. They were also involved in several other crimes in the area.

“We are conducting more raids to arrest other suspects,” the CTD spokesman said, adding that huge quantities of arms and ammunition have been recovered from the militants,” he said.

Constable martyred

Meanwhile, a police constable was shot dead by some armed men in Sariab Road area of the provincial capital on Wednesday.

The TTP claimed responsibility for the killing of the police constable. Officials said that police constable Akhtar Hussain was going home after performing duty in the special branch when in the Sariab Mills area, the armed men on motorcycle opened fire. He suffered several bullet injuries and died on the spot.

Police took the body of the constable to Civil Hospital and later it was handed over to family members.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2023