Four children injured in Bajaur Agency IED blast

One boy received serious injuries after he lifted an IED mistaking it for scrap.

KHAR: At least four children were injured when a roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off in the Tank Khata area of Khar district, Bajaur Agency on Wednesday, political administration official said.

Officials said that a school boy along with three others was injured when he lifted an IED which exploded in his hand. The explosion occurred at around 12:30pm when the children were on their way home from school, he added.

They were rushed to the Agency Headquarter Hospital of Khar.

Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Riaz Khan, said that the children were in stable condition except for a boy, identified as Zahirullah, who picked the IED. “Both his hands were blown up due to the explosion,” he added.

He identified the injured children as 10-year-old Ayesha, 6-year-old Zahiruallah, Bilal and Saim. “We discharged the children after providing them with first aid,” while Zahirullah was admitted in the hospital due to serious injuries.

Political administration official of Khar district, Abdullah Hafiz said that the children mistook the IED for scrap. “We informed the security officials who will conduct a search operation in the area and will defuse all hidden bombs in the region,” he added.

The official added that several people were injured due to IED blasts that were planted by militants before the military operation in 2008. The militants had planted them to target security forces convoys, he said.