Cross-border attack: Missile kills peace militia leader

KHAR:

A pro-government peace militia leader was killed and two others were injured in a cross-border missile attack while an improvised explosive device (IED) blast left a tribesman injured in Bajaur Agency on Tuesday.

An official of Khar’s political administration said two missiles descended in Babara Shena, Charmang early morning, killing peace militia leader Sher Ali while two others were injured and rushed to a hospital.

Separately, a tribesman was injured in a remote-controlled IED blast in Salarzai tehsil of the agency. He was shifted to a hospital where his condition was said to be stable.

Bajaur Agency shares a border with Kunar province of Afghanistan. Three Pakistani paramilitary officials were injured a day earlier in the same area when a check post was attacked from across the border. In a separate incident, two Frontier Corps (FC) officials were killed and two were injured when an IED went off on Saturday.

Pakistan has raised the issue of cross-border attacks with Afghanistan in the past. Pakistani officials claim TTP hideouts exist in Kunar from where attacks on Pakistani check posts and pro-government tribes are orchestrated.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2014.