Jundullah chief killed in encounter with Rangers near Hub

KARACHI - Pakistan Rangers Sindh on Friday claimed to have killed chief of banned militant group Jundullah in an alleged encounter in Hub district, Dawn News reported.

"Acting on tip off by intelligence agencies, Rangers' anti-terrorist force on Thursday night conducted operation at a suspected militant hideout in Hub area of Balochistan," read a statement issued by Rangers spokesperson.

“During exchange of fire, the Jundullah chief and nominated deputy chief of Tehreek-i-Taliban Sindh Saqib alias Arif alias Anjum was killed,” the statement added.

Rangers' spokesperson also revealed that the deceased Jundullah chief along with members of Al Qaeda, Jamaatul Ahrar and Islamic State were involved in several high profile terror acts.

Some of them were allegedly involved in various terror activities including attack on the vehicle of the then Corps Commander Karachi General Ahsan Saleem, suicide attack on Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman in Quetta, assassination of chief security officer of Asif Ali Zardari, Bilal Shaikh, and attack on Church and members of minority communities.

The Rangers statement also claimed that the killed militant was planning major terror attacks on Rangers’ headquarter and the SSU headquarter in Karachi.

The paramilitary force also recovered explosives from the suspect's house, which was being used as factory for preparing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), claimed the spokesperson.

Rangers also claimed to have recovered huge quantity of automatic weapons, ammunition and hand grenades.