KABUL’s southwestern Balochistan province early Friday morning, media reports said.
Security forces arrested one injured militant and shifted him to an unknown location for interrogation following the brazen attacks on the Samungli and Khalid airbases in Quetta.
Dawn.Com quoted the Balochistan police chief, Muhammad Umlaish, as telling journalists that security forces had concluded the clearing operation. At least 11 security personnel were injured during the four-hour operation.
Eleven rocket launchers and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition were seized from the bases. “All entry and exit points leading to the airport and airbases are being strictly guarded,” the police chief said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also said the airbases had been cleared. Another police officer Imran Qureshi said security forces had detained five suspects. “Police are interrogating the suspects.”
Over 20 powerful explosions were heard during the operation, police said, adding the blasts were followed by intense fire. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
At least two suicide bombers were among the dead, including Uzbek fighters. The attacks came hours after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen. Raheel Sharif landed at one the airbases, The News International said.
Meanwhile, the little known Ghalib Mehsud faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attacks. The faction is said to be the suicide wing of the proscribed TTP.
Security forces thwarted the attack and also arrested one injured militant and shifted him to an unknown place for interrogation.
PAN Monitor/mud
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