Khyber Agency ambush: 14 paramilitary troops killed

The dead include a lieutenant colonel and a captain.

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR:

At least 14 paramilitary troops, among them two senior officers, were killed in a militant ambush on their convoy in the restive tribal region on Monday, officials said.

The ambush took place in the Akakhel area of Bara sub-division in Khyber Agency on the border with Afghanistan.

“The Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were returning to their base after carrying out a search operation in the nearby Sipah area when ambushed by militants,” a senior security official told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.

He said most of the casualties were caused when one of the mortars targeting the militants exploded in the barrel of the gun.

Local sources said that the paramilitary troops were traveling in a convoy of three vehicles to the Meelwat area from the Aziz check-post when it came under attack. Military sources put the  number of casualties at 11, saying that they were caused when a projectile exploded in the barracks of the paramilitary troops by accident about 9pm. Local sources rejected the claim that the fatalities were caused when the jeep the troops were travelling in overturned following the militant ambush. The dead have been identified as Lt Col Sheraz, Captain Islam and nine soldiers, all belonging to the paramilitary Mehsud Scouts and Khyber Rifles.

According to reports, the paramilitary troops had arrested about 170 tribesmen for their suspected links with the militants in an operation in the Sipah Yousaf Talab area of Bara on Monday afternoon.

The operation was launched following reports that some militants hiding in the area were planning attacks on government installations.

An official source told The Express Tribune that many of the arrested tribesmen had links with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). This was the second deadliest attack on security forces this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2011.