KHAR/KOHAT, July 8: Two militants were killed and eight others received injuries as security forces and Mamond Qaumi Lashkar repulsed a cross-border attack in Kagga area of Bajaur tribal region on Sunday.

Officials said that a group of militants entered Pakistani territory and attacked Kagga area of Mamond tehsil with heavy weapons. “Security forces and volunteers of local peace committee retaliated instantly,” they added.

The residents of the area said that exchange of fire between militants and peace volunteers continued for more than two hours. They said that the actual target of attackers was volunteers of Mamond Qaumi Laskhar, who were patrolling the border area.

“The volunteers were alert for any possible attack in the area and instantly retaliated,” they said. They added that two militants were killed and eight others were injured in exchange of fire.

They said that it was second attack of its kind during the last two weeks in the border area of Mamond tehsil.

It is pertinent to mention here that after the recent cross-border attacks in Dir, tribal elders had deployed hundreds of volunteers in different areas along the border.

“We are prepared to counter cross-border attacks in the area,” Malik Fazl Khan, a leader of Mamond Qaumi Laskhar told Dawn. He said that Mamond tribe was united against militants and several new posts had been set up in different areas near the border.

Meanwhile, unidentified militants fired two mortar shells at a post of security forces in Damadola area of Mamond tehsil on Sunday morning.

An official said that the shells were fired from unspecified location and fell away from the post.

In Kohat, a police officer and a militant were killed and three constables were injured in an encounter in Jarma area on Sunday.

Sources said that police conducted a raid in Jarma area on a tip-off that wanted militant Noman alias Nomi was hiding there. They said that the militant was accused of killing eight people including five policemen in a bomb attack on a police vehicle last month.

They said that police reached the area where the militant was spotted in a vehicle and ordered him to surrender but he opened firing on the raiding party.

Balitang police station SHO Arman Gul, who was leading the raiding team, was killed while three policemen were injured in the firing. The militant was also killed in retaliatory firing. The injured constables were identified as Wajahat, Niaz Ali and Khan Said.They bodies and the injured were taken to KDA hospital. The body of the SHO was sent to his native village Soratkhel in Karak district after offering his funeral prayers at Kohat Police Lines.

He has left a widow, four sons and two daughters to mourn his death. He had joined police force in 1974.

The body of the militant, a resident of Bilitang, was lying in the hospital but nobody from his family turned up to take possession of it till filing of this report.