KHAR/GHALANAI, Sept 22: Fiver persons including three members of a peace committee were killed and eight others injured in a roadside blast in Bajaur tribal region on Thursday.

Locals said that a passenger vehicle, on way to Nawagai from Chamarkand, was targeted by a remote-controlled bomb at Nawapass, resulting in killing of five passengers including three volunteers of Chamakand Peace Committee.

The volunteers were identified as Malak Khushal, Malak Qasim Khan and Malak Nasar Khan. The driver of the vehicle and a child were also among the killed.

Eight other passengers including children and volunteers of peace committee were injured in the blast. The injured were taken to agency headquarters hospital in Khar, some of them in precarious condition.

Officials said that the vehicle was destroyed completely in the blast. They said that another vehicle was also partially damaged in the incident. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Security forces soon after the incident reached the spot and started rescue work.

In Mohmand Agency, three militants were injured when security forces pounded their hideouts with artillery shelling during a search operation in Haleemzai tehsil on Thursday.

Sources said that security forces backed by tanks continued search operation in Prang Darra area of Haleemzai tehsil. They said that three militants received injuries in the shelling.

Meanwhile, Basic Education and Employable Skills Training (Best), a non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with WFP distributed food items among 550 returning displaced families in Alingar, Chamarkand and Sheikh Baba areas of Baizai tehsil of Mohmand Agency.

The WFP has set up a food distribution point at Lakaro for the displaced persons, who are retuning to their hometowns.