Islamabad, Aug 15: One al-Qaeda suspect was killed in a six-hour gunbattle between Pakistani security forces and a group of suspected al-Qaeda militants holed up in a house in the northwestern city of Peshawar, officials said.
His body has been retrieved from the house, a security official said yesterday, adding some other militants fled during the fierce fighting. "A search operation is underway," he said.
The dead militant has been identified as Libyan national Abdul Rehman.
"He was killed when a grenade exploded in his hand," said the official, suspecting the man was probably providing cover for the others to escape.
Interior ministry secretary Tasneem Noorani said the "operation is over."
One militant was killed and a Pakistani paramilitary injured in the clash, he added.
Bureau Report
