A key commander of Pakistani Taliban was killed today in a police encounter in northwest Pakistan.
Waleed Akbar, who was affiliated with banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi was killed in the encounter that ensued when militants attacked district police officer Sadiq Baloch during a search operation in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police told PTI.
One of Akbar's accomplices injured during the encounter.
Police was conducting a search operation when the militants led by Akbar ambushed their convoy.
Akbar had several charges on him, including planning suicide attacks on funeral processions and law enforcement agencies' personnel.
The TTP commander was also allegedly involved in the killing of Shia community leaders and police personnel during the Ashura bombing near a Muharram procession in Dera Ismail Khan on November 25, 2012.
The police had arrested Akbar along with four others for their alleged involvement in the Ashura bombing.
In July 2013, Akbar managed to flee during a jail break when dozens of heavily-armed Taliban insurgents had freed nearly 175 inmates, including 35 high-profile militants.
