Pakistani counterterrorism forces kill three suspected Taliban insurgents

Pakistani counterterrorism forces killed three suspected Taliban members accused of carrying out attacks on security forces in the eastern city of Gujrat on Sunday.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab & agencies

01 July, 2019

Pakistani soldiers at the site of a Taliban attack in 2017 [Getty Archive]

Authorities in Pakistan say counterterrorism forces have raided a Taliban hideout, triggering a shootout that killed three suspected insurgents in the eastern city of Gujrat.

The Counter-Terrorism Department of the Pakistani province of Punjab said in a statement that the three alleged militants were killed on Sunday when they had gathered near a key road in Gujrat to plan attacks on security forces.

It says the slain men were linked to the 2007 bomb attack on a Pakistan Air Force bus in which several people were killed.

Three other militants escaped under the cover of darkness.

There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani Taliban, who have carried out scores of attacks including the 2007 assault.

Human rights activists have accused Pakistani authorities of extra-judicial killings in the past.

The incident occurred shortly before bomb attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul, claimed by the Taliban, killed at least one person and injured 65.

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