May 14, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1429

KHAR, May 13: A paramilitary soldier was killed and another soldier and a 10-year-old girl were injured in clashes with militants in the Bajaur Agency on Tuesday morning.

The clashes followed simultaneous attacks by militants on joint checkposts of Bajaur Scouts and Levies Force in Raghgan Dag, Haji Lawang Chowk, College Farsh, Inayatt Qella areas of Khar tehsil and Badan Kot and Umeri Kot localities of Mohmand tehsil. The militants used rockets and security forces pounded their positions with mortars.

The fighting continued for more than three hours, assistant political agent Iqbal Khattak said. A soldier Mohibullah Khan was killed and Khetab Gul was injured. There was no word about casualty on the militants’ side. The girl was injured when some shells landed in a residential area, local people said. She was taken to the agency headquarters hospital in Khar.

People in Rahmanabad, Sadiqabad, Shandi More and Jar Mullah Kalley kept awake and prayed for their safety.

Meanwhile, bomb disposal squad personnel defused a missile found in the Umeri area.