Three Rangers personnel martyred, four injured as Karachi camp attack foiled, says ISPR

Three Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) personnel were martyred while thwarting a terrorist attack on a Rangers camp in Karachi, the military’s media wing said on Sunday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), terrorists belonging to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar launched an attack on the camp on Saturday by detonating explosives at the main gate before attempting to breach the perimeter.

Rangers troops responded swiftly, killing three attackers and capturing another in an injured condition. The ISPR identified the arrested suspect as an Afghan national.

Four Rangers personnel were also injured in the exchange of fire.

The military said sanitisation operations were underway to clear the area of any remaining terrorists.

It said Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue counterterrorism operations under the Azm-e-Istehkam campaign and vowed to bring those responsible for the attack to justice.

Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir expressed condolences to the families of the martyred personnel, saying their sacrifices further strengthened the nation’s resolve to eliminate terrorism.

President, PM condemn terrorist attack

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack and paid tribute to the three Rangers personnel who embraced martyrdom while defending the country.

The prime minister said security forces had once again foiled the terrorists’ “nefarious designs” through a timely and effective response. He reaffirmed that operations against terrorists would continue until their logical conclusion and vowed that Pakistan’s struggle would persist until terrorism in all its forms was eradicated.

He said the sacrifices of the country’s security forces in the fight against terrorism were unforgettable, adding that the nation stood firmly behind them and that enemies of Pakistan’s peace would face a decisive defeat.

President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the attack, describing Jamaat-ul-Ahrar as an Indian proxy group.

He paid tribute to the three Rangers personnel who were martyred and expressed condolences to their families while praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.

“The nation will never forget the sacrifices of its brave soldiers in the war against terrorism,” the president said, adding that terrorist elements operating under foreign patronage would never succeed in their designs. He said the sacrifices of the martyrs had further strengthened the country’s resolve to completely eradicate terrorism.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack and paid tribute to the three Rangers personnel who laid down their lives while confronting the terrorists.

He praised the Rangers for their prompt and effective response, saying their action had resulted in the killing of three terrorists and the foiling of the attackers’ objectives. The minister also prayed for the early recovery of the injured personnel.