Pakistani soldiers. File photo/ Reuters

Pakistani authorities say a raid by security forces on a militant hideout in the northwestern city of Peshawar triggered a 15-hour shootout in which a police officer and at least five suspected militants were killed.

Shaukat Yousafzai, a government spokesman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said police and commandos surrounded a home in the city on Monday night, acting on intelligence about planned attacks.

He says the suspects were asked to surrender but instead, they opened fire on the security forces. Police say the suspects also threw grenades, which killed an officer.

The operation is ongoing and the security forces are trying to get into the basement of the house, where one or two more suspects might be hiding.

Peshawar is the provincial capital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan.

Associated Press