Taliban commander blows himself up in Pakistan

January 9, 2010 Pakistani officials have said that a militant commander has blown himself up with a grenade, apparently to escape capture during a police raid in Peshawar earlier today. The authorities said that four police officers were wounded in the blast.

Local TV reports said that police, tipped off by an intelligence report, raided a house on the outskirts of Peshawar, where rebels had been in hiding, and arrested four of them. Security officials then closed in upon Irfan, but he reportedly blew himself up upon seeing them.

Suicide vests, hand grenades, bullets, and other weapons were recovered from the building.

Violence in Peshawar and the surrounding area has increased in recent months. Due to the frequent clashes, the government has tightened security in and around the city.