Three Pakistani Rangers were killed and four others injured after militants attacked a Rangers camp in the southern city of Karachi on Saturday evening, Pakistan's military said.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Pakistan Armed Forces blamed the attack on the militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. It said the assailants detonated an explosive device at the camp's main gate before attempting to breach the perimeter.
“The assailants, after a blast at the main gate of the camp, attempted to breach the perimeter security; however, their nefarious designs were decisively foiled by the vigilant and resolute response of Rangers troops,” the military said.
According to the statement, security forces killed three of the attackers and wounded another during the operation. Three Rangers lost their lives and four others were injured.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a militant group often linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent years, many of them claimed by the TTP or affiliated groups.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of providing safe haven to militants since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, an allegation Kabul has consistently denied.
The military said Pakistan would “continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country”, vowing to respond to such attacks.
AFP journalists in Karachi reported hearing sustained gunfire on Saturday night as security forces sealed off roads around the Mosamiat Chowrangi area. Paramilitary personnel carrying ammunition were seen patrolling the streets, while others travelled through the area in pick-up trucks.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said he had ordered a detailed report into the attack.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed condolences, writing on X that he conveyed his “heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the martyrs and prays for the speedy recovery of the injured personnel”.
