Al-Qaeda commander killed in Karachi

Islamabad, Jan 9: A top commander of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-continent (AQIS) and three of his associates were killed today in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi.

AQIS commander Sajjad alias Kargil and his associates Muhammad Hashim, Yasin alias Yasir Arafat and Shamim alias Commando were killed during a raid on their hideout by the counter-terrorism wing of the Crime Investigation Department, a local police official said.

He said weapons, ammunition, a suicide jacket and a hand grenade were recovered from their hideout. Police said that the AQIS commander came from Bangladesh in 2009 and got a national identity card by bribing a local and then moved to Waziristan.

He rose within the ranks of al-Qaeda and was appointed as Karachi city commander in 2014. He was given oath by AQIS chief Asim Umer.

Police termed it as a big success against ongoing drive against militants in Karachi which is considered as a financial hub of rebels. Al-Qaeda last year announced the establishment of a new branch, called AQIS.

PTI