Daily Times

A high-profile terrorist was killed on Thursday, while seven other people were injured during an hours-long shootout operation conducted by security forces in Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), officials said.

Speaking to the media, GB’s Interior Minister Shams Lone confirmed the development, adding that an accomplice of the terrorist was injured during the shootout. Pakistan has intensified its operations nationwide in response to an increasing militant threat. Although the affiliation of the killed terrorist remains unknown, the majority of attacks in the country’s northern areas, especially near the Afghanistan border, are typically executed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“Terrorist commander Shah Faisal was killed during an intelligence-based security operation in the Darel district of GB, while his accomplice, Zahidullah, was injured,” Lone said. “The hours-long shootout led to a very tense situation in the district.”

He added that a young girl, an elderly man, and four GB Scouts were also injured during the exchange of fire, while another terrorist is still at large and is being pursued.

According to Lone, the slain terrorist had masterminded a bus attack in Chilas last December, killing eight and injuring 18. Officials said unknown gunmen had targeted the bus, operated by a local private company, from nearby hills which caused the vehicle to swerve into a goods truck, causing a head-on collision which also killed the truck driver. A day after the incident, Diamer police had arrested six suspects in connection with the attack, which Lone had termed terrorism.

GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq told the media that security has been put on high alert at the Karakoram Highway (KKH) and Gilgit city.

Checking procedures at entry and exiting points have been intensified as well, he added. Later, Faraq said KKH and Babusar Road had been closed as precautionary measures.