ISLAMABAD: A top militant commander of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was killed on Sunday in an encounter with security forces in Pakistan's restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

TTP commander Waliullah was killed by the Bannu Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in an intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat district of the province, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.

This operation was conducted on Tajuri Road near Malang Adda, after which armed terrorists opened fire on the police.

According to the newspaper, Waliullah was killed in retaliatory firing by security forces.

According to the newspaper, he was the local commander of the TTP Tipu Gul group and son-in-law of commander Atiqur Rehman alias Tipu Gul Marwat.

Waliullah was wanted in several cases of bomb blast on CTD Bannu, DI Khan and local police and attack on police and security forces.

TTP, established in 2007 as an umbrella group of several terrorist organizations, is considered close to al-Qaeda. The group has been blamed for several deadly attacks across Pakistan, including an attack on an army headquarters in 2009, attacks on military bases and the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad.

At least four people of a family were killed and two injured in a roadside explosion caused by a remote-controlled device in northwest Pakistan on Sunday.

This incident happened in Kurram area bordering Afghanistan.

The vehicle of a tribal elder was targeted by an IED while he was going to a nearby market. A child is also included among the dead.

The injured were taken to the hospital. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Police have started a search operation in the area.