Karachi : In a pre-dawn operation, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officers killed three suspected militants during a shootout in Manghopir, Karachi. The raid was conducted after intelligence indicated that members of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – Fitna Al-Khawarij were hiding in a local residence. The suspects engaged police in heavy gunfire but were ultimately neutralized.
CTD DSP Raja Umar Khattab confirmed that two of the slain militants were identified as Zafran (carrying a Rs20 million government bounty) and Qudratullah, while the third remains unidentified. Officials revealed that one of the terrorists was a suicide bomber linked to last year’s attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi. A search of the hideout uncovered suicide vests, grenades, explosives, and a diary listing potential targets.
The CTD is now investigating the property owner for possible connections to the militants. This operation comes amid a 5% rise in terror attacks across Pakistan in May 2025, as per the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained the most affected regions, with 82 out of 85 nationwide attacks occurring there.
While militant activity saw a slight increase, security personnel deaths rose by 73%, and civilian injuries spiked by 145% compared to April. Security forces conducted retaliatory operations, killing 59 militants while losing five personnel. The overall toll for May stood at 172 casualties, underscoring the persistent threat of terrorism despite ongoing counter-terror efforts. Authorities remain on high alert to prevent further escalation.