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Pakistani Forces Battle Militants Near Prime Minister's Home


Pakistani police commandos carry the body of a suspected militant following a raid on a militant hideout in Lahore, July 17, 2014.
Pakistani police commandos carry the body of a suspected militant following a raid on a militant hideout in Lahore, July 17, 2014.

Pakistani security forces clashed with militants during a raid on a house just a few kilometers from the Lahore home of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

One soldier and two militants were killed in the 10-hour battle on July 17 in the village of Arayian in Lahore’s Raiwind area.

Five soldiers were injured and an injured militant was detained.

The Raiwind area is home to Raiwind Palace, the residence of the powerful Sharif political family.

It is also a base for the Tablighi Jamaat, a Sunni Muslim evangelical movement known for ultraconservative views.

Pakistan's minister for counterterrorism, Colonel Shuja Khanzada, said the militants were "locals" from Lahore who lived in the house about six weeks.

He said they are thought to be part of a larger terrorist network but could not immediately confirm the group to which they belonged.

Based on reporting by AFP and "The Express Tribune"

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