PESHAWAR: Two activists of an anti-Taliban peace committee were killed and another seriously injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Dawezai area of Pindyali Tehsil of Mohmand tribal region.

Officials sources say that the IED was planted on the roadside by unknown miscreants and was detonated when the peace committee members were travelling along the road in Inzari Miangan village of Dawezai area.

Two people died on the spot whereas another person was critically injured.

The victims were shifted to a nearby hospital.

Security personnel reached the blast site and cordoned off the area as a probe into the incident went underway.

The attack comes against the backdrop of an ongoing military action Operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan tribal region.

Mohmand is one of Pakistan’s seven tribal agencies near the Afghan border which are rife with militancy and are said to be strongholds of Taliban and al Qaeda operatives.

Jamatul Ahrar claims responsibility

Jamatul Ahrar, a breakaway faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack on the peace committee members in Pandyali.

Spokesman for the group, Ehsanullah Ehsan told Dawn.com over telephone that they have targeted the peace committee members for fighting and spying against Taliban.

He said that such attacks on what he termed ‘pro-government paid people’ would continue as they were enemies of Taliban.