At least 11 people including four policemen and seven militants have been killed in pitched battles between the two in Pakistan's biggest city here since Sunday night.
Four policemen were shot dead and two injured in targeted shootings yesterday in two of Karachi's busiest commercial areas, MA Jinnah road and Pakistan Chowk.
According to the Karachi police chief Ghulam Thebo, the killings were apparently carried out by suspected Tehreek-e- Taliban (TTP) militants in retaliation for the ongoing operation against them in the city and its outskirts.
"Seven terrorists including two high profile commanders of the TTP were killed in a police raid near Surjani Town and Mangopir on Sunday night and Monday. We see the attack on the policemen as a retaliatory attack by militants," Thebo said.
Thebo said the TTP militants who were killed in separate raids included Taliban Karachi chief Tariq Khan alias Chota Abid and his deputy Rehmanuddin alias Lala.
In back to back attacks late last night four armed men on motorcycles opened fire on a police mobile at MA Jinnah road killing three of them on the spot.
The policemen killed were ASI Riasat Ali, 40, head constable Rashid Ali, 42, and constable Saeed Khan, 40. Constable Jahanzeb suffered head injuries.
Half an hour later armed men attacked a police mobile near Pakistan Chowk in which head constable Shakeel and constable Mujahid suffered serious bullet wounds.
Shakeel later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Thebo said the armed attacks were carried out by professional killers as all the four policemen were killed with straight shots to the head.
The latest attack on the policemen has brought the number of policemen killed this year by unknown militants to 21.
Last year, 143 policemen had fallen in the line of duty in the city.
