Relentless attacks: IED blast injures two FC officials

Another roadside explosion in Khyber Agency, no loss of life.

KHAR/ LANDIKOTAL:

Two Frontier Corps (FC) officials were severely injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off at a roadside in Mamond tehsil of Bajaur Agency Saturday afternoon.

Political administration official from Mamond, Abdul Haseeb Khan said he was informed by a tribesman around 12:30pm about a canister spotted on the roadside in Ghari Gal area of Mamond. Consequently, FC officials rushed to the site along with a bomb disposal squad (BDS) unit and defused the five-kilogramme explosive device.



The official added that while the bomb was being defused, another IED planted nearby was detonated by militants through a remote control, severely injuring two FC officials while destroying their vehicle completely.

The official identified one of the injured as Lance Naik Muhammad from Chitral Scouts while the name of the second official could not be ascertained.

The injured were shifted to a hospital in Timergara, Lower Dir, while a search operation was launched in surrounding areas during which multiple suspects were arrested.

Targeting convoys

A bomb planted by unidentified militants at an unpaved road to target mules and Frontier Corps (FC) officials supplying rations at check posts, went off in Landikotal tehsil of Khyber Agency on Saturday. No loss of life was reported.

Political administration official Amjid Shinwari said the incident occurred at around 10:30am. He added the explosion took place near the back wall of Government Degree College for Boys, Landikotal after which FC officials along with khasadars rushed to the site and surrounded the area.



The official added militants had planted a high-intensity bomb to target officials who were supplying rations to remote mountainous check posts, however, no loss of life was reported.

“The bomb detonated when the caravan of mules had just passed through,” said the official.

He added no one has been arrested in the search operation so far, claiming this was not the first time FC officials were targeted while supplying ammunition and rations to check-posts.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2014.