Arms, explosives recovered: Eight suspects held in Landi Kotal

11 hour operation finds explosives, suicide jackets, guns and grenades.

LANDI KOTAL: Security forces arrested eight suspects during a search operation launched soon after defusing two bombs in Khyber Agency. They also recovered an explosives-laden vehicle along with a huge cache of arms from the area.

Official sources said that after defusing two bombs recovered from a residential colony near the Government High School Landi Kotal, security forces launched a search operation in the Khoga Khail area.

They said that the operation took 11 hours to complete and forces recovered an explosives-laden vehicle, suicide jackets, Kalashnikovs, a rifle, three locally manufactured bombs, hand grenades, rocket launchers, computers, printers, welding machines, mines and wireless communication sets from their possession. The sources added that the arrested persons were suspected of involvement in the recent bomb blasts that have taken place in the same area.

Sources also said they have also received information about the presence of another explosives-laden vehicle in the area and security has been tightened at all the entry and exit checkpoints in Torkham.

Meanwhile, the political administration arrested one Qismat Ali from the Sultan Khail area and shifted him to an undisclosed location for investigation.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2012.