Suicide bombers attack court compound in Peshawar

Policemen and army soldiers fan out to secure the area after a suicide bomb blast in a judicial compound in Peshawar March 18, 2013.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Two suicide bombers attacked a judicial compound in the Pakistani city of Peshawar on Monday, killing four people and taking hostages, officials said.

Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar said one bomber blew himself up outside the complex, causing the deaths, while the other entered the complex in an apparent bid to storm into a jail and release militants held there.

He took hostages and was later shot dead by security forces, Iftikhar said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the operation. Police forces sealed off roads around the complex.

Taliban militants, who are close to al Qaeda, are fighting to topple Pakistan's U.S.-backed government and impose their radical version of Islam.

They have targeted the military, security forces and civilians. (Reporting by Jibran Ahmad; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)