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Four killed in gun battle near Peshawar airport

By The Assam Tribune

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (IANS): Three Taliban militants and a policeman were killed Sunday in a firefight near the Peshawar airport in northwest Pakistan, during a search operation launched after the airport attack Saturday night, media reports said.

At least 10 people -- five civilians and five militants -- were killed and over 40 others injured in the rocket attack at the Bacha Khan Airport, for which the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility.

"We carried out this attack. Our 10 associates took part in this and target was the air force base in the Peshawar airport," Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told Geo News by telephone from an undisclosed location.

He said two explosives-laden vehicles were used in the attack.

The militants in Sunday's incident were holed up in an under-construction house in Pawakai area of the city.

Police said the militants opened fire at them as they came out of their hideout, and were killed in retaliatory fire.

The under-construction house is located near the home of former provincial minister Kashif Khan.

A source told Geo News that at least five militants took shelter at the house around 7 am.

On Saturday night, Taliban militants stormed the airport after ramming their explosives-laden vehicle into its outer wall.

They fired five rockets at the airport and two of them hit the runway.

All international and domestic flights were cancelled following the attack. Airport authorities, however, said all of their assets were safe.

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