Pakistan: TTP's Most-Wanted Terrorist Killed in Joint Rangers-CTD Operation in Karachi

KARACHI (Terror Monitor) — Pakistan’s paramilitary Rangers and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) have killed a highly wanted terrorist affiliated with the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during a joint intelligence-based operation in Karachi, officials said.

According to a Rangers spokesperson, the operation was carried out in the Gulbai-Shershah area after security agencies received intelligence about the presence of a wanted terrorist.

During the operation, security forces and the terrorists exchanged fire, resulting in the death of one highly wanted terrorist.

The Rangers identified the dead terrorist as Qari Ziaur Rehman, also known as Qari Saifullah, a native of Bajaur, a tribal district in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Officials said weapons and explosives were recovered from his possession following the operation.

Wanted in Attacks on Military Camps

According to the Rangers spokesperson, Qari Saifullah was wanted in connection with several attacks targeting Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps (FC) camps.

Authorities said he had joined the banned TTP in 2006 and subsequently received terrorist training in Afghanistan.

Security officials described him as an experienced member of the militant network who had remained involved in terrorist activities for years.

Alleged Attempt to Establish Terror Network in Karachi

The Rangers said Qari Saifullah had recently arrived in Karachi from Afghanistan and was allegedly attempting to organize a terrorist network in the city.

According to officials, he was also involved in planning terrorist attacks against sensitive locations.

Authorities said his presence in Karachi was part of an effort to expand the militant network's activities beyond its traditional areas of operation and establish a network capable of carrying out attacks in the country's largest city.

Search Operation Underway

Following the exchange of fire, security forces conducted a search operation in the surrounding area to determine whether other members of the network were present.

The weapons and explosives recovered from the dead terrorist have been taken into custody for further examination, officials said.

Authorities are investigating the nature of the recovered material and possible links between Qari Saifullah and other members of the TTP network operating in Karachi.

The operation comes amid continued counterterrorism efforts by Pakistani security agencies against TTP networks and other terrorist groups across the country, particularly those suspected of using Afghanistan as a base for planning and facilitating attacks in Pakistan.