MULTAN, Pakistan – A Pakistani counter-terrorism official says security forces have raided a hideout of Taliban- linked suspected Islamic militants, killing 6 of them.
Mohammad Saleem says the raid took place on Thursday in the central district of Khanewal and was based on intelligence that the militants were planning an attack.
The raid comes on heels of a series of suicide bombings this week by a Pakistani Taliban's breakaway faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, or Freedom Movement, following an almost three-month lull.
The group has carried out three suicide bombings this week, killing 19 people. Also, two of its bombers were killed before they could set off their explosives and another blew himself up prematurely before reaching his target.
Pakistan has for over a decade fought Islamic militants, who have killed thousands of people.