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Four militants including key commander killed in shootout in Pakistan

Xinhua, January 20, 2017 Adjust font size:

At least four terrorists including a militant commander were killed in shootout with police in Pakistan's east Sheikhupura district on Thursday, local Urdu media reported.

Dawn News said that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of police set up a special picket to snap check vehicles carrying suspected militants, by acting on an intelligence tip-off, on the Sheikhupura-Lahore Road in the country's east Punjab province.

The CTD officials said that seven terrorists riding four motorbikes tried to ride past the picket, in the wee hours of morning, when the policemen signalled them to stop from checking.

The bike riders changed their route after seeing the police, and opening fire at them while fleeing.

The cops chased the on-the-run militants and engaged them into a gun battle.

Four militants were killed in the shootout while their three accomplices fled the scene.

One of the killed militants was identified as Rizwan alias Asif Chotu, the chief of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ), a Punjab-based banned outfit involved in carrying out sectarian attacks in the country.

Police said that Chotu killed hundreds of people and had a headmoney of Rs 3 million (about 30,000 U.S. dollars) by the government.

Formed in early 1990s, the LeJ is considered one of the most extremist Sunni terror group of Pakistan and is accused of killing hundreds of Shia Muslims across the country since its formation.

The group was banned by former president Pervez Musharraf in 2001.

The group also claimed many sectarian attacks including bomb blasts and attacks on Shia pilgrims' buses in the country's southwest Balochistan province over the last few years.

Another killed militant was the chief of the LeJ in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The terroirist Noor ul Amin had a money of Rs 1 million (about 10,000 U.S. dollars) on his head.

The CTD officials said that the militants were "merciless killing machines" and their demise has closed a chapter of terrorism and target killings in the country. Endit