KHAR: Two soldiers were killed in a bomb blast in the border area of Nawagai tehsil in Bajaur Agency on Tuesday.

According to officials, Ha­­w­aldars Khurshid and Mushtaq were taking water to their post on mules from a nearby place when an improvised explosive device planted along the way went off. The bomb was detonated by a remote control.

The two soldiers were critically injured and died while being shifted to hospital.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast from any militant group.

Residents of the area told Dawn that local people along with members of the village defence committee and personnel of security forces rushed to the spot after hearing the explosion and tried to trace the culprits but to no avail.

Later, security forces and Levies Force launched a joint search operation in different areas near the place of the blast, but the officials did not say anything about detention of anyone during the hours-long hunt.

Matak Charmang, where the blast took place, is near the Afghan border.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2016