IED blast kills one, injures five tribesmen

KHAR:

One tribesman was killed while five others including a pro-government elder were severely injured when a bomb exploded in Salarzai tehsil, Bajaur Agency on Saturday.

According to political administration official Sardar Yousaf, the incident occurred around 11am when tribal elder Malik Gul Akbar and five other tribesmen were excavating a mountain in Darra area of Salarzai.

“They had been excavating the mountain for the past one week. Despite threats and a previous attack by militants, Akbar continued to come to the site and work all day long,” said Yousaf.

The tribesmen were digging the mountain on Saturday when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by unidentified militants went off nearby, injuring all of them.

Yousaf added locals heard the explosion and rushed to the site. They shifted the injured to Agency Headquarters Hospital, Khar where one tribesman identified as Sher Muhammad succumbed to his injuries.

Others wounded in the attack were identified as Malik Gul Akbar, Gulzar Shah, Muhammad Rahim, Muhammad Halim and Noor Khan. Yousaf said Malik Akbar and Muhammad Halim were later shifted to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar due to their critical condition.

Malik is on the hit-list of militants and has survived three previous bomb attacks in the agency, said Yousaf.

On June 22, two members of a pro-government militia were killed in Chamarkand teshil, Bajaur Agency when an improvised explosive device planted at a roadside detonated close to them.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2013.