LADDAH, Dec 30: A militant was killed and eight others were injured in an attack by helicopter gunships on their hideout in Makeen area of South Waziristan on Friday, officials said.

They said that two helicopter gunships shelled the hideout belonging to the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.Three Arab nationals were among the injured but their names and nationalities could not be ascertained.

A tribal elder, Malik Aziz Khan, was killed and his two aides were injured after security forces allegedly opened fire on them near a base camp.

Malik Aziz was going to the army camp in Garyum area todefuse tensions between tribesmen and security forces after the killing of Amal Khan who died when a shell hit his house on Thursday, according to sources.

The death of the elder sparked anger among the local people. Witnesses said he was near the camp when soldiers opened fire at him and his guards.

ARRESTED: A militantcommander, Qasim, was arrested in an injured condition from the government hospital in Wana. Troops also detained his two brothers and two Taliban.

He was taken to an unknown location.

Commander Qasim was affiliated with the Maulvi Nazir group and was injured in clashes with Nato forces in Afghanistan, sources said.