Paramilitary forces on Saturday killed at least four members of a Baloch insurgent group in Karachi, officials said. The incident happened in the impoverished neighbourhood of old Golimar where paramilitary Rangers had launched a targeted operation against the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on an intelligence tipoff. "The criminals opened indiscriminate fire on the Rangers, prompting the force to fire back which killed four notorious BLA terrorists,"
Rangers spokesman Major Sibtain Rizvi told AFP. He said six insurgents were also arrested during the operation, adding they were all involved in anti-state activities and targeted killings. The BLA mainly operates in resource-rich Balochistan. The incident came days after massacre of 44 minority Shia Ismaili Muslims in Karachi Wednesday in the first attack officially claimed by the Islamic State group in the country.
BR reporter from Karachi adds: Rangers on Saturday killed four notorious terrorists of Lyari gang war/ BLA and arrested six others during a targeted operation in Old Golimar area. According to Rangers' official, during the operation the criminals resorted to indiscriminate fire on Rangers personnel. In retaliation, Rangers fired back killing four terrorists, who were later identified as Babul Baloch, Chota Sajid, Rafique and Khalid Mandhi. These terrorists were involved in anti-state activities with the BLA, besides in other numerous incidents of target killings, extortion and kidnapping for ransom. Huge quantity of narcotics and weapons were also recovered from their possession.