World News | Questions Mount over CTD Encounter Killings in Balochistan
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. According to the Balochistan Post, CTD officials stated that the operation was launched after receiving confidential information about the presence of armed suspects in the area. Authorities said that when personnel moved in, a gun battle ensued, resulting in six fatalities.
Balochistan [Pakistan], February 19 (ANI): The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has reported that six armed men were killed during an intelligence-led raid in Barkhan, claiming that security forces remained unharmed in the exchange of fire. However, the incident has triggered renewed controversy after some of the deceased were identified as previously missing persons, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to the Balochistan Post, CTD officials stated that the operation was launched after receiving confidential information about the presence of armed suspects in the area. Authorities said that when personnel moved in, a gun battle ensued, resulting in six fatalities.
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The bodies were later transferred to Rakhni Hospital for legal procedures. The department maintained its position that the deceased were militants killed during an armed confrontation. Subsequent identifications, however, have raised doubts about the official narrative.
Local sources stated that three of the men were known as Akbar, son of Nawab Khan Domki; Budha, son of Muhammad Murad Lashari; and Makhan, son of Mureed Lashari, all previously listed among Baloch missing persons. Families and rights advocates alleged that the individuals had earlier been subjected to enforced disappearance.
Akbar Domki had reportedly disappeared in 2022 alongside his brother Yousaf, who was later killed in what authorities described as a police encounter in Notal, Nasirabad. The organisation Voice for Baloch Missing Persons had earlier confirmed their disappearance. Relatives stated that Akbar was again taken into custody in January 2024 from Jhal Magsi before being declared killed in the latest operation, as cited by The Balochistan Post.
Three additional bodies remain unidentified, prompting fears that they too may belong to individuals previously reported missing. The development follows similar incidents in Quetta and Karachi, where recent CTD operations have also been questioned by families and observers, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)