Pakistan school attack facilitator killed

Pakistani officials Friday said that security forces have killed a "facilitator" of last week's savage Taliban attack on an army-run school that killed over 140 students and teachers in Peshawar.

Commander Saddam was killed in a clash after a group of Taliban militants shot dead a tribal elder in Khyber tribal region, bordering Afghanistan, the chief administrator in the region, Shahab Ali Shah said.

Khyber agency, also a key supply route for NATO troops in Afghanistan, is located near Peshawar.

The Taliban had claimed responsibility for the Dec 16 attack on the Army Public School in retaliation for the military offensives in North Waziristan and Khyber agency.

Shah told reporters that Saddam was the operational commander of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and was also the mastermind of several attacks, Xinhua reported.

The Taliban militants attacked and killed a tribal elder, Badsha Khan, Thursday on suspicion of his supporting the government.

The security forces and the tribal militia chased the attackers at Jamrud, a main town in Khyber agency, and killed Saddam in the "successful operation", the official said. He said that six other Taliban militants were injured and arrested after the two-hour clash.

"The terrorists tried to flee after killing the tribal elder; however, the security forces and 'khsadars' (tribal militia force) frustrated their attempt," Shah said, adding that the security forces had also conducted operations in the area.

He said Saddam was one of the most dangerous Taliban commanders who was "wanted by the authorities for involvement in a series of terrorist attacks".