Karachi Rangers HQ Attacked: 3 Troopers, 3 Suspects Dead As TTP Splinter Group Claims Raid

Karachi: At least 3 paramilitary personnel and 3 terror suspects were killed on Saturday after armed attackers stormed the local headquarters of the Pakistan Rangers in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar locality. Sindh’s police chief confirmed the incident to the local media, with the deadly attack once again raising concerns over the growing threat to security forces across Pakistan.

Sindh Inspector General (IG) Javed Alam Odho stated that the assailants rammed their vehicle into the main gate of the compound before opening fire. He added that it was initially unclear whether an explosion had also taken place during the initial breach. The incident prompted an immediate response from law enforcement agencies, who rushed to the scene as heavy gunfire was reported in the area.

Speaking to the local reporters, Javed Alam Odho stated that a “mopping-up operation” was underway to secure the premises and eliminate any remaining threat. The area was immediately sealed off by commandos from the Special Security Unit (SSU), personnel from the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF), and Rangers troops. Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed said that 1 injured paramilitary trooper had been admitted to a hospital with gunshot wounds to the leg.

Rescue Teams Respond As Area Sealed Off

The rescue 1122 Sindh confirmed that it received reports of an explosion near Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 5 and dispatched teams from the central command and control centre without delay. The general vicinity was cordoned off by the police as security forces moved to contain the situation and prevent further casualties.

Later, late on Saturday, an affiliate of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter armed group of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, reports claimed. The group asserted that 9 attackers had taken part in the operation. The claim comes as Pakistan’s security forces continue to face frequent attacks nationwide.

Attacks On Security Forces And Civilians In Pakistan

The Karachi incident followed a string of violent attacks across the country. Earlier, on February 7, the United States Embassy in Pakistan issued a security alert for American citizens after reports of a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area on the outskirts of Islamabad.

The attack proved deadly, with at least 31 people reportedly losing their lives and 169 were injured when a suicide bomber struck Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in the Tarlai area during Friday prayers. Minister of State for Interior, Tallal Chaudhry, later said in Islamabad that while the attacker was not Afghan, forensic tests had established how many times he had travelled to Afghanistan.

In the meantime, Saturday’s attack on the Rangers headquarters adds to concerns about the security environment in Pakistan’s urban centres. As militants openly target paramilitary installations, the officials said that counterterrorism operations are being intensified. 

Further details regarding the tragic attack are awaited.