South Waziristan: Soldier dies in botched suicide attack

PESHAWAR:

A soldier was killed on Sunday as troops foiled an attempt by a suicide bomber to attack a military checkpoint in South Waziristan, officials said.

The bomber’s explosives detonated when he was shot outside the Chag Malai post seven kilometres east of Wana, local official Saifur Rehman told AFP.

“The bomber came on foot but failed to detonate his explosives-laden vest,” Rehman said. “A guard shot him and he exploded. One soldier was martyred due to splinters. There were no other injuries.”

A military official who declined to be named confirmed the incident, saying that “an attempt by a suicide bomber has been successfully averted” in Chag Malai.

Kurram Agency

Eleven militants were killed and six injured in a clash between militants and security forces in the Ali Sherzai area of Kurram Agency.

Security forces have also destroyed several militant hideouts. Forty-one militants have been killed in Kurram Agency in the last four days, sources said.

On Saturday, five militants were killed and eight injured in a clash with members of a local lashkar in central Kurram.

AFP WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th,  2011.