NORTH WAZIRISTAN - At least nine security personnel were martyred and 20 others wounded when a roadside bomb hit an army convoy in North Waziristan Agency on Sunday, officials said.
They said a convoy of Frontier Corps was heading toward Miranshah from Datakhel area when it got hit by an improvised explosive device planted on the roadside in Boya area. As a result of the blast, at least nine FC personnel embraced martyrdom and 20 others got hurt.
Officials said the bomb was planted near a checkpoint on Miranshah-Datakhel Road. It went off with a bang when the FC truck was passing by. The dead and the wounded were ferried to Combined Military Hospital in Bannu through a helicopter. A curfew will be imposed in the area from 04:00 pm to 05:00am everyday to ensure safe passage to military personnel. Militants often use IEDs to target military personnel.
Agencies add: At least nine servicemen were killed on Sunday when a roadside bomb hit an army convoy passing through the troubled region of North Waziristan near border with Afghanistan, security sources said.
Militant groups including the Taliban and Al-Qaeda operate in the volatile tribal region, often launching attacks on troops and civilians from mountain hideouts on the porous border.
Initially, army sources said three soldiers had been killed but later a security official in the regional town of Miranshah raised the death toll to nine. At least 21 soldiers were wounded. Nine Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed and 20 others wounded in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in North Waziristan's Boya area, according to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) sources.
A convoy of military vehicles was travelling from Datakhel area to Miramshah area when it was struck by a remotely-detonated bomb planted on the roadside.
The victims were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital. A daily curfew is imposed in the area from 4 pm till 5am to ensure safe movement of military personnel. Militants often used IEDs to target military personnel due to the curfew.
A senior security official told AFP that the bomb hit a convoy of up to 20 vehicles carrying regular soldiers and members of Frontier Corps. Another security official confirmed the toll.
Sunday’s attack came a day after US drone attack on a house in North Waziristan which killed four suspects.
PEACE BODY MEMBER SHOT DEAD: Unknown armed men shot dead a member of local peace committee in Swat late on Saturday night.
Miscreants ambushed peace committee member Akbar Ali Khan in Daroshkhel area of Matta, Swat when he was returning home after offering Isha prayers.
Akbar Ali was killed on the spot and the attackers managed to escape taking the advantage of darkness.
The security forces cordoned off the area after the incident and started a search operation.