[The News (Pak) Top Stories] Scores of local Taliban militants were arrested along with their leader as the security forces continued operation for the second consecutive day in the Shah Hassankhel village, 25 kilometres from here Sunday.Police said security forces continued an operation against the militants in the hilly area of Shah Hassankhel, shelling the hideouts of the militants. The sources said the security forces raided the Madrassa Usmania located at Michankhel and arrested a leader of the militants, Maulana Abdul Mateen, along with scores of Taliban and took them to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
Maulana Mateen belongs to the JUI-F. Shah Hassankhel was the stronghold of the militants where they had established their compounds and hideouts in a nearby mountain. The sources said the security forces shelled the hideouts of the insurgents on the mountain and destroyed houses on Saturday.
The security forces set up a temporary base at the Government High School Isakkhel, 15 kilometres from Lakki Marwat town, from where heavy artillery and other weapons were used to fire at the mountainous hideouts of the militants.
Our Kohat correspondent adds: Security forces in a joint search operation with police arrested 45 suspected persons, including 20 activists of banned outfits, on Sunday. They said 20 activists of banned Jaish-e-Muhammad and Sipah-e-Sahaba were taken into custody and shifted to an unidentified location for interrogation. Meanwhile, 25 suspected persons were nabbed from various villages in Kohat district on charges of having links with militants.