PESHAWAR: Five militants were killed and four others were injured on Monday in a blast in the remote Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency.

Intelligence sources said the blast occurred at the Lashkar-i-Islam base in Kandao area and left at least five militants dead and four others injured.

Sources said that militants were testing an explosive device when it exploded causing the casualties.

The LI is yet to confirm or deny the incident.

The exact number of deaths and the nature of the blast could not be verified from independent sources as journalists cannot enter the area.

Khyber is part of Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt on the Afghan border. The Taliban and other Al Qaeda-linked groups, who stage attacks in both countries, are known to have strongholds in the zone.

Two security men injured in blast in North Waziristan

Two security personnel were injured in a roadside remote-controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Spinwam area of North Waziristan Agency.

Official sources said that security forces were clearing landmines along the road when the blast occurred, injuring two soldiers.

The injured soldiers were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital Thall for medical treatment.

North Waziristan is one of the seven regions in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) governed by tribal laws which is situated along the Pak-Afghan border and is rife with Taliban militant activity.

Military operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched by the Pakistan Army on June 15 following a brazen militant attack on Karachi's international airport and failure of peace talks between the government and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) negotiators.

The Taliban and their ethnic Uzbek allies both claimed responsibility for the attack on Karachi airport, which was seen as a strategic turning point in how Pakistan tackles the insurgency.

Nearly a million people have fled the offensive in North Waziristan, which is aimed at wiping out longstanding militant strongholds in the area, which borders Afghanistan.