Daesh Sindh head, accomplice killed in encounter: Shikarpur police

SIBI: Shikarpur police on Thursday claimed to have killed the provincial leader of outlawed Daesh [Islamic State] and his accomplice in a gun battle here in Sibi on Thursday, ARY News reported.

The wanted terrorists who were killed in police encounter were identified as Hafeez Pandrani and his accomplice Abdullah Brohi.

The operation was carried out primarily by Shikarpur Police in collaboration with their counterparts in Sibi, a Balochistan city located 200-kilometres northwest of Shikarpur.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Larkana Irfan Baloch told media that the militants were most-wanted following their involvement in different terror-related incidents including an attack on a Shikarpur Imam Bargah in 2015, the 2017 blast at shrine of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, and several target killings.

“Hafeez Pandrani ran Daesh network in Sindh. He was also mastermind of Sehwan and Shikarpur’s Imam Bargah blasts”, DIG Baloch informed.

Moreover, Pandrani also targeted slain Ibrahim Jatoi (former lawmaker of National Peoples Party and tribal chief of Jatoi tribe) as well, while brother of the killed terrorist was a suicide bomber, the top police official added.

Police officials said they recovered arms and material to be used for terrorism from possession of the killed militants.

Security personnel commenced search operation in adjacent areas after the gun battle and more contingents of law enforcement agencies were called at the site.

At least 61 persons had lost their lives following a powerful bomb explosion took place at Karbala-e-Moalla Imam Bargah, located at Lakhi Dar area of Shikarpur city during the Friday prayers on January 30, 2015.

In another horrific terrorism incident, as many as 80 persons had been killed and hundreds were seriously wounded in suicide bombing took place at Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan City of Sindh.

Islamic State (IS) terrorist group had claimed responsibility of the attack.