Asia-Pacific

Pakistan: 1 militant killed, 5 held near Peshawar

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-06 16:05

Pakistan: 1 militant killed, 5 held near Peshawar
Firemen extinguish a fire as men gather at the site of a blast in Peshawar December 5, 2009. [Agencies]

PESHAWAR, Islamabad: Police say they have killed one militant and arrested five other members of a gang suspected of involvement in recent bombings and other attacks around the northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar.

Regional police Chief Liaquat Ali Khan says commandos acting on a tip raided a compound Sunday in the village of Kaka Khel near Peshawar. He says one suspect was killed and five others arrested after a fierce gunbattle.

He says two of those arrested were wounded and police seized explosives and other weapons from the compound.

Militants have carried out a wave of deadly attacks in and around Peshawar in apparent retaliation for an army offensive in the tribal area of South Waziristan, where al-Qaida and Taliban leaders are believed to be hiding.