Militancy in Khyber Agency: Two children killed, 13 injured in blast
Bomb went off during a jirga deciding tender for Torkham dry port.
PESHAWAR:
Two schoolchildren were killed and 13 others injured when a bomb went off outside the residence of a tribal elder in the Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Agency on Saturday.
According to the political administration, a jirga was underway to resolve the issue of a tender for Torkham Adda, which is the main route for trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
An official from the political agent’s office said that the children who were killed in the incident were aged between 10 and 12 years. They were identified as Shah Saud and Ilyas.
The injured were rushed to a hospital in Landi Kotal.
“The incident took place at around 12:30 am when the jirga was deciding who to hand over the yearly tender of the Torkham dry port,” said the official.
“There were no threats to the jirga prior to this attack,” the official added.
Three people sustained severe injuries and were shifted to the Hayattabad Medical Complex in Peshawar, sources said. The residence belonged to tribal elder Malik Rasool Jan.
Blast in Miranshah
Two security personnel were killed after a remote-controlled bomb exploded in the Datta Khel area of Miranshah in North Waziristan Agency Saturday morning.
According to sources, after receiving a tip, security forces reached the site to defuse the bomb planted on the Qafila Road of Boya village, but it exploded before they could defuse it. One person died on the spot, while another sustained severe injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but he succumbed to his injuries.
The bomb hit a patrol leading a convoy of security forces at Boya village. A local intelligence official confirmed the attack and death toll and said that he suspected the involvement of Taliban militants. Security forces started a search operation, sources said, adding that no one has been arrested so far.
(with Additional input from AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2012.
Two schoolchildren were killed and 13 others injured when a bomb went off outside the residence of a tribal elder in the Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber Agency on Saturday.
According to the political administration, a jirga was underway to resolve the issue of a tender for Torkham Adda, which is the main route for trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
An official from the political agent’s office said that the children who were killed in the incident were aged between 10 and 12 years. They were identified as Shah Saud and Ilyas.
The injured were rushed to a hospital in Landi Kotal.
“The incident took place at around 12:30 am when the jirga was deciding who to hand over the yearly tender of the Torkham dry port,” said the official.
“There were no threats to the jirga prior to this attack,” the official added.
Three people sustained severe injuries and were shifted to the Hayattabad Medical Complex in Peshawar, sources said. The residence belonged to tribal elder Malik Rasool Jan.
Blast in Miranshah
Two security personnel were killed after a remote-controlled bomb exploded in the Datta Khel area of Miranshah in North Waziristan Agency Saturday morning.
According to sources, after receiving a tip, security forces reached the site to defuse the bomb planted on the Qafila Road of Boya village, but it exploded before they could defuse it. One person died on the spot, while another sustained severe injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but he succumbed to his injuries.
The bomb hit a patrol leading a convoy of security forces at Boya village. A local intelligence official confirmed the attack and death toll and said that he suspected the involvement of Taliban militants. Security forces started a search operation, sources said, adding that no one has been arrested so far.
(with Additional input from AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2012.