LANDI KOTAL: At least six more suspected militants were killed and three others injured when military planes pounded their positions in Tirah valley on Monday.

Security officials said that air strikes were conducted in Sanda Pal, Nangorsa, Speen Drand and Nakai areas of Sipah, targeting hideouts of the banned Lashkar-i-Islam group.

Take a look: Five killed in Tirah air strikes

Security officials claimed to have made advances into areas previously controlled by the LI and Taliban. The two banned groups joined hands in mid March after the military launched a fresh offensive to flush militants out of areas close to the Afghan border.

Security forces claimed to have killed 14 militants and destroyed a number of hideouts over the past three days.

However, the claims could not be independently verified.

BAJAUR BLAST: A Levies subedar lost his life in a roadside blast and a suspected militant was killed during a search operation in Bajaur tribal region on Monday, our correspondent in Khar adds.

A group of Levies personnel led by Subedar Sultan Bakht was going to Government High School at Badan in Mamond tehsil from their post to check security of the institution where matriculation examination was in progress.

They were walking towards the school when an improvised explosive device placed on the roadside went off.

Subedar Sultan Bakht died. Other Levies personnel escaped unhurt.

The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. TTP spokesman Mohammad Khurasani said in a statement that the attack was carried out by the Taliban.

On Sunday, security personnel shot and killed a suspected militant when he resisted their attempt to arrest him during a search operation at Malkana in Salarzai tehsil.

Officials claimed that Islam Khan was a member of the TTP.

Islam Khan, said to be a bomb-making expert, was allegedly involved in various cases of terrorism.

Meanwhile, Maulvi Shiekh Gul Mamond was made Emir of TTP’s Bajaur chapter on Monday and Dr Burhanuddin his deputy.

Gul Mamond and Burhanuddin replaced Abu Bakr and Qari Zahid who joined the self-styled Islamic State militant group.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2015

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