Three Rangers Killed in Karachi Attack on Paramilitary Base
At least three Pakistani paramilitary soldiers were killed when militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the headquarters of the Sindh Rangers in Karachi on Saturday, in a coordinated assault that also left three attackers dead, according to officials and witnesses.
The attack occurred in the Gulistan-i-Jauhar neighbourhood, an area of universities and government buildings in the eastern part of the city, around early evening. A blast was heard across the district, followed by sustained gunfire that lasted about 15 minutes.
The little-known militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the assault, the Associated Press reported.
According to witnesses, a militant drove a vehicle packed with explosives into the main gate of the Rangers compound, breaching the perimeter. About five heavily armed men then entered the facility and exchanged fire with security personnel. Sindh Inspector General Javed Alam Odho confirmed that three Rangers personnel and three attackers were killed. The Edhi Foundation reported at least two wounded were taken to hospital.
Security forces sealed off streets around the area, deploying Special Security Unit commandos, the Anti-Terrorist Force, and additional Rangers personnel for a clearance operation. By late evening, a Reuters reporter at the scene said firing had ended and the situation was calm. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah ordered a full report into the incident.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a breakaway group from the TTP, which is separate from the Afghan Taliban but considered an ally. The group has previously targeted security forces and civilians inside Pakistan. Saturday's assault is the most significant in Karachi since a bombing targeting a Chinese convoy in October 2024 killed two Chinese nationals.
While major militant attacks in Pakistani cities have become less frequent in recent years, the country has witnessed a sharp rise in violence against police and security forces, with authorities attributing most incidents to the TTP and allied groups. A surge in militancy in regions bordering Afghanistan has raised concerns that violence could return to urban centres.
