Police officials said that at least 9 militants were killed in an encounter with security forces on Wednesday in Peshawar, capital of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, confirming fears that the militants have strong presence in the city.
Police sources said that armed militants were trying to kidnap a person in Bazi Khel area of the city when police reached there and fighting between the two erupted.
There were no reports of police casualty in the encounter.
This came just one day after the kidnap of a UN official in Baluchistan while to foreign diplomats kidnapped some months back in Peshawar are still in their custody and their whereabouts are not known.