A close aide to a key leader of Pakistan's Taliban has been killed during the military operation in the country's northwest, according to local TV reports Sunday.

The security sources were quoted as saying that Ehsan alias AbuJandal, who was the close aide of Maulana Fazlullah, head of the Swat chapter of the Pakistani Taliban, had been killed as the security forces spread the action to the Qambar area of Swat of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Both of them are on the wanted list.

The security forces faced tough resistance from the militants for some days in Qambar. However, the security forces bombarded the area, killing Abu Jandal, according to the reports.

Abu Jandal has been buried in the suburban area of Mingora, a major city in the Swat valley.

Over 1,600 militants have been killed since Pakistani security forces launched the military operation against Taliban militants late April after militants in early April entered the Buner district from the neighboring Swat district and refused to vacate the area despite their pledge to do so

Source: Xinhua