Top Taliban commander among 4 militants killed in Pakistan

Peshawar, January 16

Security forces in Pakistan have gunned down four militants, including a top Taliban commander who masterminded last year’s powerful bomb blast in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in which at least 31 people including three Sikhs were killed.

Those killed in the exchange of fire include Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Islam and Mohibullah who were involved in various terror activities, officials said.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered from their possession.

Intelligence agencies raided a house near Qazi pump area where the militants were believed to be hiding. The owner of the house was also killed in the firing between the militants and security forces.

In November, 31 people, including three Sikhs, were killed and over 40 others injured in the bomb blast at the Friday Market (Juma Bazaar) near an imambargah, a Shia religious place, in Orakzai tribal district’s Kalaya area, bordering Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had strongly condemned the terrorist attack.

Orakzai, a terror hotbed, is one of the seven semi-autonomous tribal regions of Pakistan which has a porous border with Afghanistan. PTI