Three policemen killed by militants in Karachi

Three policemen were killed today when they were patrolling on motorcycles in one of Karachi's most volatile areas where Pakistani security forces shot dead five Talibani militants earlier this week.
A senior police official said that the policemen were patrolling on motorcycles in Mangophir here when armed gunmen opened fire on them.
"Three policemen were killed while one was injured. The firing also injured some passerby" he said.
The deceased policemen have been identified as Soomar, 38, Ghulam Ali, 40, and Munawar, 43.
Taliban have carried out attacks on police and paramilitary rangers in the same area in the past.

The official said that after killing the policemen, the militants fled with the police officials' sub-machine guns.

In the search operation carried out in the area three days back, security forces had recovered four abducted industrialists and traders.
"The area is home to thousands of people from the tribal agencies and is surrounded by mountains," another official said.
He said the killing of the policemen was carried out apparently in reaction to the killing of the militants.