Over 70 militants attack check-post, 2 police killed

PESHAWAR: More than 70 militants attacked a security check-post on the outskirts of Peshawar city on Wednesday, triggering a shootout that killed two security forces and wounded five, officials said.

The pre-dawn attack took place near Khyber, part of the lawless tribal belt on the Afghan border, which is regarded as a global hub of militants, including al Qaeda and the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban movements.

"They were armed with AK-47 rifles and rockets. We successfully repulsed the first attack. They attacked again and then there was an exchange of fire that lasted for about two-and-a-half hours," security official Abdul Jabbar told Reuters.

A policeman and a paramilitary soldier were killed in the attack, he said. "There were casualties on the other side also but they took away their bodies and we don't know how many of them were killed or wounded."