PESHAWAR, Jan 14: The volunteers of a local peace committee foiled an attempt of the militants to assassinate leader of the committee at Mera village of Adezai union council near Indus Highway in the small hours of Wednesday.

The volunteers reportedly backed by security forces repulsed the attack of Taliban when they opened indiscriminate firing on the residence of Haji Abbas, a leader of the anti-Taliban group in the area.

An official source said that volunteers also forced Taliban to flee leaving behind a double cabin Datsun, three rocket launchers and one machinegun and a cellular telephone set.

The source said that militants were also trying to attack the residence of the union council nazim Haji Abdul Malik, but armed men of the area engaged them prior to further movement.

“As militants failed to move ahead they had moved back the Datsun truck which met an accident and as a result they fled leaving behind weapons and the vehicle,” the source said.

A police official of Matani police station said that blood stains in the area showed that militants had suffered casualties but they managed to take away their injured accomplices.

“Had the security forces not assisted the volunteers they would have faced stiff resistance from Taliban,” he opined.

Despite repeated efforts leader of anti-Taliban group Haji Abbas couldn’t be contacted by telephone. A member of his family avoided commenting on the situation.

KILLED: In another incident a man identified as Lebas Khan son of Ghulam Sher resident of Naakband Matani was gunned downed by unidentified persons while he was on way to home.

A complainant Haji Salih Sher told police that his brother was on way from the city to his residence when unidentified accused shot him dead. The victim, he said, had no enmity.