Terror Attack in Karachi: Six Lives Lost as TTP Militants Strike Sindh Rangers Compound

Karachi Under Siege: TTP Militants Launch Deadly Assault

In Karachi, a violent assault by militants from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) resulted in the deaths of three terrorists and three paramilitary soldiers, as reported by the military on Sunday.

This incident marks the first significant terrorist attack in the port city since October 2024, targeting a Sindh Rangers camp. The attack was executed by members of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the TTP, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's communication branch.

The assault occurred around 8:30 PM on Saturday when militants crashed a vehicle into the entrance of the Sindh Rangers Bhittai wing, located in the crowded Gulistan-e-Jauhar area, followed by a barrage of hand grenades that triggered multiple explosions.

Residents reported that authorities advised them to remain indoors, and some neighborhoods experienced power outages.

The military confirmed that three attackers were killed during the confrontation, while one, suspected to be an Afghan national, was apprehended alive, though further details were not disclosed.

According to ISPR, the assailants attempted to breach the camp's perimeter after detonating explosives at the main gate, but their efforts were thwarted by the Rangers, who eliminated three attackers and captured one injured individual.

During a visit to Karachi on Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused India of employing 'proxies' to destabilize Pakistan, although he did not provide any evidence to support his claims.

The ISPR also confirmed the loss of three paramilitary soldiers during the firefight with the militants.

Security forces are currently conducting sanitization operations to ensure no additional terrorists remain in the vicinity.

A reliable security source indicated that commandos from the Special Security Unit (SSU) and the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) assisted the Rangers in neutralizing the attackers and capturing one injured militant.

Following the attack, authorities cordoned off the area and closed surrounding roads.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the TTP, has primarily operated in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in recent years, targeting civilians, security forces, and government officials.

This incident is the first terrorist attack in Karachi since October 2024, when two Chinese engineers lost their lives in a suicide bombing near the Karachi airport, attributed to the Balochistan Liberation Army.

The TTP's last significant attack occurred in February 2023 when they stormed the Karachi police headquarters on Shahrah-e-Faisal, resulting in numerous casualties.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated since late last year, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban government in Kabul of harboring the TTP and facilitating cross-border assaults.

The Pakistani military has conducted several operations targeting what they claim are TTP hideouts and training facilities in Afghanistan.