58 proclaimed offenders, suspects held in Hangu, Bannu

Afghan Taliban commander gunned down in Peshawar

HANGU: The police arrested 300 suspected persons including 25 proclaimed offenders (POs) and illegal Afghan nationals during search operations in various parts of the district on Thursday, an official said.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shaukat Bukhar said that said that the police launched search and strike operations in the limits of the Tall, Doabba and Balyamina police stations and arrested 300 suspects including 25 POS and several Afghan nationals living illegally in the region.

He said the law-enforcers also seized 15 Kalashnikov rifles, 19 other rifles, 14 pistols, repeater, 19 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher shells, two light machine gun (LMG) shells and 12 kilograms of hashish.

The police also checked 493 suspected vehicles and 423 motorbikes. Cases against 65 suspected motorcycles and 13 non-custom paid vehicles were registered, the official added. He said that search and strike operations against the anti-state elements and anti-social elements would continue till February 28.

Our correspondent in Bannu adds: The police arrested 147 suspects including 33 proclaimed offenders (POs) during a search operation in various areas in Bannu division Thursday, official sources said.

They said on the directives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nasir Khan Durrani, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Muhammad Ali Khan Gandapur directed the Bannu and Lakki Marwat police to conduct search and strike operations.

The police arrested 147 suspected persons, including 33 POs in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts. The law-enforcers also seized five Kalashnikovs, two rifles and 515 cartridges during the operations.

Peshawar bureau adds: Unidentified assailants gunned down an Afghan Taliban commander here on Thursday.“Haji Khona, Taliban commander in the Shinwari region of Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, was shot dead by unknown gunmen near the refugee camp in Shamshato area,” sources told the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).

The slain Taliban commander took part in fighting against the Islamic State (IS) fighters in the Spin Ghar, Achin and Deh Bala districts and was also wounded during a clash a few months ago.

He was one of the several candidates for the post of Taliban ‘shadow’ administrator for Spin Ghar district. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the incident.Several key Taliban commanders, including former Taliban minister Maulvi Abdul Raqeeb, were also killed in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the past.