KHAR: Five assailants were killed and five security personnel injured when suspected militants crossed the Afghan border and attacked a military post in Mamond tehsil of Bajaur Agency on Sunday evening, an official said.

The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack and said 11 security personnel were killed in the assault.

A local administration official said a group of militants entered Pakistani territory from Afghanistan’s Kunar province and attacked the border post in Manozangal area, about 39km from agency headquarters Khar.

He said the militants fired rockets and mortar shells at the post, injuring five personnel of the Frontier Corps. “The security personnel, however, managed to repulse the attack, killing five of the assailants in the process,” he said.

Two key militant leaders were among the dead, the official said.

Conflicting claims made by local administration and TTP about casualties

Residents said the fighting between the security personnel and militants continued till late in the evening and the two sides used heavy weapons against each other.

The security forces also claimed to have seized control of the strategic Kaga Pass in Mamond tehsil. The militants previously used the pass for attacking border posts.

They said that after taking control of the area they had established bunkers there.

Our correspondent in Miramshah adds: TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told journalists by phone that Taliban militants had taken control of almost all the military bunkers and posts in the Manozangal area.

He said suicide attacks would be carried out on the last post held by the security forces in the area to take complete control of the region.

Shahid claimed that a total of 11 security personnel had been killed in the fighting in Bajaur Agency. The bodies of the slain personnel had been seized by the militants.

He said only one TTP man was killed in the attack.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2014