KARACHI: Five terrorists, including a woman, were killed and four paramilitary personnel injured in an hours-long exchange of fire between Rangers and outlaws holed up inside a residential building in Karachi’s Urdu Bazar vicinity late Monday, sources said.
The operation was launched against the members of banned outfits, who were believed to be present in the building located in the Urdu Bazar area. According to Rangers, an arrested militant had pointed to the building where his accomplices were present.
The miscreants attacked paramilitary personnel with hand grenades and opened fire on them as soon as they arrived at the site. It is understood that the Rangers did not anticipate the terrorists to mount such an attack.
The exchange of fire continued for nearly seven hours, during which the miscreants lobbed several hand grenades on paramilitary soldiers.
The gunbattle left five terrorists dead, while one was apprehended during the shootout, sources said. The deceased included a woman and a five-year-old child, who the Rangers spokesperson said were present inside the house with terrorists.
Four Rangers personnel were also wounded in the episode. The building, where the miscreants had taken refuge, and nearby properties were evacuated as the exchange of fire began between the two sides.
Officials also recovered a huge cache of explosives, weapons and hand grenades from the flat, where the terrorists had been staying, sources added.
The residential building lies besieged, while nearby streets have also been sealed off as the paramilitary personnel and police have been searching the vicinity for any other miscreants left.
The deceased terrorists could not be immediately identified. They, however, were said to be affiliated with outlawed Lashkar e Jhangvi (LeJ).
Sources informed Geo News that the miscreants had been planning a major terror attack in the city.
