The local Taliban in the restive valley in the North West Frontier Province has killed three Pakistani intelligence personnel in an attack. Gunmen opened fire at the pick-up truck in which the personnel were travelling in Matta sub-district late on Monday evening. Two other intelligence personnel were injured in the attack. Claiming responsibility for the attack, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Muslim Khan said that the action was carried out in "retaliation" for the arrest of several Taliban fighters.
Security forces had subjected the arrested persons to torture and one of them was being treated in a local hospital, Khan alleged. He also claimed that the Taliban wanted to capture the intelligence personnel alive but that they were killed "while offering resistance".