KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police on Thursday claimed to have killed three militants linked with the outlawed Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) who were allegedly involved in the killing of soldiers, personnel of law enforcement agencies and a member of the Ahmedi community.

Noorul Amin alias Abdullah, 22, an expert in making improvised explosive devices who also used to recruit youngsters for suicide bombing, Abdul Ghani alias Ghania, 24, also an IED expert who fought against army, and Saeedullah alias Haris, 26, who used to generate fund and provide logistic support for terror activities, were killed in an encounter with law enforcers during a raid on their hideout in Korangi, said CTD SSP Junaid Shaikh.

He added that Saeedullah and Noorul-Amin were close associates of Abu Zar Burmi who led AQIS `Burmi group`.

Noor-ul-Amin, who remained involved in the killing of soldiers in Waziristan, had been given the task of killing law enforcers in Karachi by an AQIS commander in Afghanistan Noor Khan, said the CTD officer.

Abdul Ghani, who also carried out attacks on army in Miranshah, was a close aide of AQIS Amir (chief) Zarar alias Naseem Bhai and had got training in AQIS headquarters in Baramcha, the southern part of Afghanistan`s Helmand province from where it is operated, according to the officer. AQIS chief Zarar had given him money for purchasing a boat to carry out terror attacks through searouteinfuture,the ofncersaid.

Both Noor-ul-Amin and Abdul Ghani were born in the Korangi district of Karachi, while Saeedullah hailed from Bajaur Agency.

According to Sindh CTD chief Dr Sanaullah Abbasi, Noor-ul-Amin studied at a seminary in Korangi before started working in factories. It was in 2013 when he met a militant who sent him along with two other people to Miranshah for training where four other people with alias of Burmi were present. After getting the training, he started malcing IEDs. He along with other accomplices prepared around 600 improvised mines.

When the security forces started military operation in North Waziristan, he along with seven other militants shif ted to the Zoi area of Shawal Valley where he started planning to attack army soldiers.

He along with over 40 other militants launched a major attack on a security check point in 2014. In the ensuing exchange of fire, three militants were killed though he managed to survive. He went to Gomal in South Waziristan near the border and stayed there for six months.In Gomal, their vehicle was hit by drone strike in which, one militant, Hamza Burmi, and two others were killed. After the security forces raided their camp, he fled to Sanzai area near Shawal.

The CTD chief said that Noor-ul-Amin along with four other militants travelled to Quetta and crossed the border to reach Baramcha in December 2014, where they met AQIS chief Zarar. He returned to Karachi but fled to Gwadar along with two others when police raided a hideout of his accomplices in Korangi and arrested them in 2015.

After learning about the arrest, he escaped to Iran through an illegal route via Jiwani and returned to Karachi in 2016.

Abdul Ghani was born in Bilal Colony, Korangi in 1992. He got admission in a seminary in year 1998 where he studied till 2006. Later, he helped his father who used to sell fish and visited different areas of Balochistan for the sake of fish business. In 2012, he met a militant who motivated him to join banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan`s Husain Ibn Ali unit. In 2013, he was sent for training in Waziristan where he along with other accomplices also attacked an army camp. In November 2014, he came back to Karachi and was hiding at his sisters` homes, which were raided by the police. Subsequently, he went to Pasni where his friend used to do fish business. He came back to Karachi after some time.

Born in Bajaur Agency, Saeedullah shifted to Karachi in 2004 when he was 14. He studied at different seminaries and memorized Quran by heart. In the year 2010, he became friend with an Ahmedi community member, Ahmed, who had converted to Islam and joined Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. He introduced him to another militant. They both arranged Ahmed`s marriage with a Swati girl. In the meantime, Ahmed abandoned terror activities and converted back to Ahmedi faith after which, Saeedullah and his accomplices killed him in Orangi Town. Meanwhile, his brother, Tamrez, got killed in a drone attack in the year 2012. He completed Alam-i-Deen course in 2015 at a seminary in Gulshan-i-Iqbal and took another religious course to become a Mufti. His other brother, Amanullah, living in Afghanistan, was affiliated with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, who was a `major motivation factor` to join militancy, according to the CTD chief.

Initially Saeedullah used to collect funds for militant outfits. Earlier this year, Saeedullah visited Afghanistan`s Kunar province where he met his brother, Amanullah, and parents, said the CTD head. He returned to Karachi and was hiding at a place in Korangi when it was raided by the CTD officials along with intelligence officials.