KARACHI: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has linked a new terror group Ansar-al-Shariah Pakistan (ASP) in connection with recent attacks on policemen in Karachi. ASP claimed responsibility for the attacks on policemen in Karachi in May that took place in the city’s Dhoraji Colony area and June in SITE area. The group had also claimed credit...

KARACHI: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has linked a new terror group Ansar-al-Shariah Pakistan (ASP) in connection with recent attacks on policemen in Karachi.

ASP claimed responsibility for the attacks on policemen in Karachi in May that took place in the city's Dhoraji Colony area and June in SITE area. The group had also claimed credit for the killing of ex-army officer Tahir Nagi in April.

According to an assessment by the CTD, the fighters who recently returned from Syria are members of ASP and are involved in attacks on police in Karachi.

The Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) don’t have the exact number of people who left Pakistan to join Syrian insurgent groups.

However, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) CTD Intelligence Omar Shahid Hamid said people belonging to various sects joined the Middle-East based terrorists groups.

The official said that LEAs haven’t found the presence of the group in other parts of Pakistan, adding that the banned outfit has so far only targeted security forces in Karachi.

Ansar al-Shariah was formed in Libya in 2012 and after its leader was killed in 2015, the group's fighters had joined various Middle East based groups.

These militants then joined hands with Al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch Al Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham and fought with Syrian government forces and ISIS militants in Syria.

The group ideologically supports Al-Qaeda but is a separate terror group.