Key Taliban 'commanders' killed in Peshawar operation: security officials

PESHAWAR: Two key militant commanders of the Pakistani Taliban were killed in a successful operation by security forces in Peshawar on Thursday, security officials said.

Security officials told Dawn.Com that security forces were conducting a search operation in the Frontier Region of Peshawar near Mattani when they clashed with the militants, leaving one security personnel and two militants dead in the exchange of gunfire.

Officials identified the two key militant commanders as Rooh ul Amin and Adnan alias Hurera, both belonging to the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The operation follows a late night attack by dozens of suspected Taliban militants on a security check post at Shamshato area near Peshawar Frontier Region (FR), killing six Frontier Constabulary (FC) soldiers and leaving 12 others injured.

Police said the militants had also managed to kidnap two security forces' personnel. A spokesman for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Ehsanullah Ehsan, had claimed responsibility for the attack Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, officials said militants had killed the two FC personnel kidnapped from Shamshato area on Tuesday. The miscreants have thrown their bodies in Mattani area of Peshawar, said one security official.

Clashes between militants and security forces during the ongoing operation continued at the time of filing of this report.