Deadly contraptions : Tribesman critically injured in landmine explosion

Several residents and security officials have been killed or maimed in the past few years.


Our Correspondent May 26, 2014
A file photo of a land mine. PHOTO: FILE

PARACHINAR:


Yet another tribesman was critically injured on Monday when he accidently stepped on a landmine in Kurram Agency.


According to Abid Hussain, an official of the political administration in Parachinar, at 9:15am Zeenat Hussain was on his way to a field near his house in Shakh area of upper Kurram, when he stepped on a landmine. The device went off and severely injured Zeenat.

Upon hearing the blast, villagers rushed to the site and shifted the injured tribesman to Agency Headquarters Hospital in Parachinar where doctors had to amputate his leg. Zeenat also sustained multiple injuries to the upper part of his body and doctors said they had pulled out shrapnel from his chest and arms.  The injured man was said to be in critical condition.

Abid speculated that unidentified militants have planted several landmines in the area near the Pak-Afghan border in Kurram Agency. “Landmines inflict immense losses on the people, but we don’t know how to trace those responsible,” said Abid.

He added the entire area is vulnerable to such explosions, not just currently, but since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. At the end of the decade-long war, the receding Soviet forces left behind thousands of landmines which continue to maim and kill people to this day.

Kurram Agency, which borders the restive Afghanistan, is no stranger to landmine explosions. Over the past few years a number of tribesmen and security officials have lost their lives due to these devices. Landmines have also become a staple for militants for carrying out attacks on convoys of security forces.

Bloody trail 

Apr 30, 2014

Tribesman Gulzar Hussain, a resident of Pewar, stepped on a landmine planted by militants at a roadside and was severely injured

Mar 31, 2014

Ajmal Hussain was heading to Parachinar when his car crossed over a landmine near City check post. The device exploded, critically injuring him

Feb 12, 2014

Two tribesmen were severely injured in a landmine explosion in Pewar

Nov 28, 2013

A tribesman was severely injured in Mali Khel, Tor Ghar, upper Kurram when a landmine planted by militants exploded

Aug 11, 2013

Two people were killed and three others were injured in three landmine explosions in Parachinar

Aug 10, 2013

Syed Noor, a shepherd, stepped on a landmine in Baghdi area and sustained severe injuries

Jul 28, 2013

A tribesman was killed and two others injured when their vehicle crossed over a landmine in Pewar Tangi near the Pak-Afghan border

Jul 26, 2013

Two tribesmen were killed and six others were injured when a passenger vehicle ran over a landmine in lower Kurram Agency

Apr 25, 2013

A tribesman was killed and three others injured when a tractor crossed over a landmine near Parachinar Sports Complex

Mar 29, 2013

Four security personnel were injured when their vehicle crossed over a landmine planted in Shaheedano Dandh, lower Kurram Agency

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27th, 2014.

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