IED explosion: Five passengers dead in blast

BARA:

Five people were killed in Tirah Valley of Bara subdivision in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast on Thursday.

A levy official said that the IED planted by a roadside exploded near a vehicle, adding that five passengers died on the spot, while several others were injured.

He said it was uncertain where the passengers were headed to.

Several people have been killed during a surge in IED explosions in the past few weeks.

Residents of the valley have little contact with the outside world and have been under the influence of militant factions, including the Lashkar-e-Islam, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Ansarul Islam. The groups have consistently targeted each other over territorial disputes and sectarian differences. Attacks through IEDs and landmines are common during their fights.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2012.