HANGU: Three terror suspects, including a top militant commander who was allegedly the mastermind of last year’s bombing that killed 35 Shias at a food market, was killed in a security operation in Hangu district, intelligence sources reported on Wednesday.
Police officer Mohammad Khalid told Associated Press the raid took place on Tuesday.
He said a militant commander, Mohammad Islam, was among the militants killed. Khalid said Islam had orchestrated the November 23 bombing at the market in the town of Klaya in the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province. The Islamic State group had at the time claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it targeted “Shia apostates.”
The other suspects were identified as Laiq and Mohibullah, it was reported.
Intelligence agencies conducted the raid near Qazi pump area of Hangu, where the terror suspects hid in a house. The owner of the house was also killed in the firing that ensued between the militants and forces.
