ISLAMABAD: One of the primary executors of the Taliban attack on Peshawar's Army Public School (APS), Taj Muhammad alias Rizwan, was arrested on Monday by security forces in an Intelligence Based Operation (IPO).

According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman, Taj Muhammad was the commander of the second group that attacked APS on December 16. The second terrorist group involved was led by Atiqur Rehman alias Usman, who has already been captured by security forces. The attack claimed the lives of 133 students and 16 school staff.

The 27-year old is a resident of Sippah in Khyber's Koi Chowk Bara. He was disguised as an internally displaced person (IDP) in the village of Pawakai in Peshawar.

Taj Muhammad confessed his affiliation with Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) since 2008, and his involvement in numerous other terrorist activities around Peshawar and North Waziristan.

Also read: Army claims arrest of key men behind APS attack

Previously, the army had claimed to have made key arrests in connection with the school attack and said that all those involved, except six suspects, had either been killed or captured.

“The gang involved in the APS attack...comprised of 27 terrorists, 12 of whom have been arrested in Pakistan and Afghanistan, nine have been killed and six are at large,” Director General ISPR Maj Gen Asim Bajwa had previously said.