KEY HIGHLIGHTS
A senior militant commander in Pakistan blew himself up in order to avoid being arrested by the police.
On Thursday 27th August 2015, the police raided to the militant’s house identified a Habibur Rehman during a counter terrorism operations in the eastern Pakistani province of Punjab and before the police could arrest him he detonated explosives causing his life, his wife’s and two children.
According local security officials, the raid was carried out in Pirmahal area of the Toba Tek Singh district in Punjab province. Police commandos launched a well targeted operation on an intelligence tip-off.
The militant — Rehman first resisted the raid and engaged the police on a fierce shootout, he hurled hand grenades towards the security forces injuring at least three officers.
The encounter lasted for four hours and finally the militant detonated his explosives when he realized his house was sealed by a large number of police forces.
SUMMARY
It a common practice for militants to blow themselves up rather than getting themselves arrested. In this case the militant opted to blow himself up together with his family.
Mostly militants blow themselves up to cover up any possible leads to their militant groups.
Intelligence tip off helped the police conduct a successful raid. Security forces managed to seize large amount arms and ammunition including the hand grenades, assault rifles and suicide vests from the militant house.
Rehman was a key commander of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group.
According to Pakistani intelligence officials, the militant commander had been involved in subversive activities, including targeted bombings and killings across the region.
Pakistani army has been waging full scale operations against the militant hideouts in the violence wracked regions across the country.
The security operations have been regular since last June when a deadly raid on Karachi International Airport ended the government’s effort on faltering peace talks with pro-Taliban militants in the country.
According to the Pakistani military, more than 2,800 militants have been killed over the past few months.
