Pakistan: two military personnel gunned down in Karachi

01 dicembre 2015

1 min di lettura

(AGI) - Karachi, 1 dic. - Two military personnel have been shotdead by unknown attackers in Pakistan's financial hub Karachi.The city of over 20 million has been witnessing slightimprovement in its security situation since a clean-upoperation was launched two years ago. The military policemenfrom the Pakistan Navy were travelling in their officialvehicle when four attackers riding two motorcycles opened fireat them in the city's busy trade district Saddar area.Eyewitnesses said the assailants took head-shots of themilitary police personnel who were sitting inside theirvehicle. The police and military investigators have collectedevidence from the site. Investigators are trying to obtaincloser circuit camera's footage from the scene while at leastthree 9mm bullet casings were recovered from the spot. Foryears now, Pakistan has been fighting home-born militancy,particularly in the north west of the country but the southernport city Karachi has its own set of security problems. Armedmafias combined with political and sectarian violence promptedthe government to launch a clean-up operation two years ago. According to Sindh Rangers, the paramilitary force headingthis operation, 364 terrorists associated with various bannedorganizations - including al Qaeda, different factions of theTehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi - have beenkilled in gunfights with the force so far. Twenty-seven Rangerssoldiers have lost their lives in the past two years. TheRangers have also received criticism from political parties andhuman rights groups for extra judicial killings andhigh-handedness. (AGI).