TANK: A man said to be a mastermind of suicide attacks was killed and his wife was injured when security forces attacked a house near Tank on Thursday. Two suspects were captured while two others escaped.

According to officials, the house in the village of Chadrar was raided on information that suspected suicide bombers were hiding there.

Tank police station SHO Mohammad Hussain told Dawn that Qari Niaz Wali, of Srarogha in South Waziristan, was on the list of suspected planners of suicide attacks.

Sources said that Qari Wali had moved to the village after the military operation was launched in South Waziristan. He had rented a house in Chadrar and lived there with his family.

Meanwhile, three soldiers were injured when militants fired three rockets at a checkpost on Jandola road on Thursday.

Security forces hit back and shelled suspected positions of militants in Kotkai, Serai Maule Khan and Barwand areas of South Waziristan after the attack.

Syed Zahid Jan in Upper Dir adds: Two militants, including top commander Maulana Naeemullah, and a member of the local tribal lashkar were killed in clashes in Chinar area of Doog Darra in Upper Dir on Thursday.
The two sides attacked each other’s positions with missiles, rockets and mortars.

Two members of the lashkar were killed when they were trying to torch a militant’s house in the area on Wednesday.

Local people said the body of Maulana Naeemullah was found lying in Chinar on Thursday morning. 'He was probably killed in Wednesday night’s fighting with the lashkar,' they said, adding that several militants were injured in the clash.

A militant was killed while trying to flee the area. Maulana Naeem was a key militant commander who had helped the Taliban to gain a foothold in the area.