3 Taliban militants held in Pakistan

Pakistan's counter-terrorism officials on Tuesday claimed to have thwarted a terror attack by arresting three Taliban militants following an intelligence-based operation in the country's Punjab province. They were planning to conduct attacks on a sensitive installation in Bahawalnagar, some 400 km from here, the counter-terrorism department of Punjab police said in a statement.

"Terrorism plan is defeated in Bahawalnagar... and three terrorists have been arrested and explosives recovered from them," the officials said. The officials, acting on an intelligence-based operation on Monday, arrested Imran, Muhammad Abid Sohail and Muhammad Raza who are affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Two bags containing explosives, seven detonators, safety fuse, ball bearings boxes, one electric battery, and switches have been recovered from them, the officials said. In a separate raid in Quetta on Monday, the counter-terrorism officials killed two militants.