Militants attack Peshawar Corps Commander's home

Just days after carrying out a devastating suicide car bombing of a five star hotel, militants today struck at the home of Pakistan's army commander heading the military offensive against Taliban in the country's troubled northwestern city of Peshawar.

In a brazen attack, the car-borne militants sprayed the heavily guarded house of Lt Gen Masood Aslam on Khyber Road with gunfire triggering a gun battle which lasted an hour and left two militants dead and two persons wounded, officials
said.

The attacks on the house of Corps Commander of Peshawar came minutes after a suicide attack at nearby police check point. Reports said a group of militants tried to storm the residence of Lt Gen Masood Aslam on Khyber Road at about 1 am but were repulsed by security forces.

A motorcycle exploded during the gun battle and fire fighters were called in to put out the blaze. Troops later cordoned off the area and arrested six suspects during a search. The attack on the general's residence occurred shortly after a suicide bomber targeted a police contingent on the Ring Road last night, killing a policeman and a civilian and injuring 12 people, including eight policemen.

Assailants hurled a grenade at a police picket and the suicide bomber struck when additional police personnel were rushed to the area in two vans.