KHAR: Three security men were injured in a roadside blast in Salarazai tehsil of Bajaur Agency on Tuesday evening, officials said.

They said that paramilitary troops were on a routine patrol in the mountainous area of Mulla Said when their vehicle was hit by a remote-controlled bomb planted by suspected militants.

The officials said that three security personnel received injuries in the blast. The injured security men were taken to agency headquarters hospital where their condition was stated to be stable.

After the blast, security forces and volunteers of village defence committee rushed to the site and launched a search operation. According to officials, about 12 tribesmen were arrested under the collective territorial responsibility clause of Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).

Alqaeda Taliban, a militant group in Mohmand and Bajaur agencies, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Yousaf Raza, a spokesman for the group, told journalists by telephone from an undisclosed location that the attack was a reaction to the military operation in North Waziristan Agency. He said that they would continue such activities in the entire tribal areas till the end of the operation.

Meanwhile, security forces recovered two remote-controlled bombs in Inam Khoro Chinagi and Damadola areas of Mamond tehsil.

Sources said that the security forces with the help of Bajaur Levies and volunteers of local peace committees conducted search operation in the areas and recovered two remote-controlled bombs. The bombs were safely defused.

Also, political administration on Wednesday arrested 16 tribesmen under the collective responsibility clause of FCR in connection with an attack on a van in Thangi area of Salarzai tehsil.

Six people including three women teachers were killed in the attack on Tuesday.

In Upper Dir, three people including two FC men sustained injuries in two separate landmine blasts in Sundrawal area on Wednesday.

Police said a local resident identified as Shafiullah was injured when he stepped on a landmine in field. After the blast, police and FC personnel rushed to the spot and launched a joint search operation there.

In the meantime, another landmine went off at the same site and injured two FC men, they added.

In Swat, unidentified persons shot dead a local peace volunteer in Mingora city on Tuesday night.

According to police, member of local village defence committee Rasheed Ahmad alias Sahibhaq was present outside his shop in Nawai Kallay area of Mingora city on Tuesday night when unidentified assailants opened firing on him. He received four bullets and died instantly.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2014