Three al-Qaeda terrorists killed in shootout in Pakistan's Punjab province

LAHORE: Police killed three al-Qaeda terrorists in a shootout in Pakistan's Punjab province, thwarting a major terror attack, an official said today.

According to a Counter-Terrorism Department spokesman, a team of police personnel last night raided a house in Azam Chowk in Layyah district, some 350-km from Lahore.

The terrorists present in the house opened fire. The police returned the fire killing three terrorists, he said.

"Three of their accomplices, however, managed to escape," he said, adding that huge quantity of explosives were recovered from the house.

"The slain terrorists belonged to Al-Qaeda. The law enforcement agencies have thwarted a major terrorist attack in the province," he said.

Meanwhile, the Punjab police launched a search operation in different districts of the province including Lahore and arrested more than 200 suspects.

"Police in a search operation in different districts of Punjab have detained more than 200 suspects mostly Afghans. The police are interrogating them," a police spokesperson said.