KOHAT, Feb 8: About 25 militants attacked the Kohat Tunnel’s old toll booth on the Indus Highway with hand grenades and automatic weapons on Friday night and occupied it, officials said.

According to the four employees of the tunnel, who were at the booth, the militants first lobbed grenades and then started firing on them. They told police that the booth was in control of the militants. Frontier Constabulary and police personnel had surrounded the militants holed up in one of the rooms of the booth, but were hesitant to take action.

The militants had also attacked the booth with rockets on Thursday night.

It may be mentioned that security forces have been in Darra Adamkhel searching for militant commanders and their followers since Janaury 23.

Some militants are still hiding in the Darra but most of them are reported to have escaped to the Sheikhan area near the tunnel.