29 September 2004	Wednesday	13 Shaban 1425

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WANA, Sept 28: Three troops were killed and as many injured in Shakai region of South Waziristan on Tuesday when militants targeted a convoy with remote control explosive devices, official sources said.

In another incident, four children were wounded when an artillery shell hit a residential compound in the Shakai valley, some 25km from here, residents said. The latest attack on a military convoy took place in an area inhabited by the Ahmadzai Wazirs after the government had lifted three-month economic sanctions on the tribe on Sept 25.

Informed sources said the militants hit the convoy with two remote control devices when it was passing through a relatively calm part of the valley at 11am. The attack left three troops dead and another three wounded. It also destroyed a vehicle. The convoy was on its way to Shakai from Bosh Ghar.

The sources said the wounded were taken to the Brigade Headquarters at Zari Noor colony. According to a witness, the number of bodies was five. Later, security forces resorted to shelling and fired artillery rounds from the Tiarza Scouts camp.

The bombing continued till 4pm, locals said, adding that security forces had pounded suspected locations on hilltops. Reports said that militants had also attacked military installations with rockets and missiles in Shakai on Monday night.

Clashes were also reported from the Karwan Manza area, north of Wana. Army troops fired artillery rounds from the Laddah scouts camp to dislodge militants from their positions.

Meanwhile, Wana sub-division assistant political agent Khan Bakhsh asked a jirga that despite lifting of economic sanctions, authorities would neither release prisoners nor issue domiciles and national identity cards to Ahmadzai Wazir tribal people. Five soldiers were killed and several others injured when their convoy came under attack in the Sarvakai area east of Wana on Monday.