KHAR/LANDI KOTAL, Oct 15: A community health centre was partially damaged in a blast in Bar Taras area of Salarzia tehsil in Bajaur Agency on Monday.

Officials said that unidentified militants planted explosives inside the building of community health centre and detonated the same. As a result, the building was partially damaged.

No group claimed responsibility for the blast.

Meanwhile, a 13-year-old boy was seriously injured when explosive device went off in Hilalkhail area of Charming on Monday.

Local sources said that some boys were playing in a field when an explosive device planted by militants exploded, seriously injuring Usman. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

In Khyber Agency, security forces claimed on Monday to have arrested 13 suspected militants during a search operation in Jamrud tehsil.

Sources said that the operation in Bakarabad locality was conducted on information about presence of suspected militants in the area. Forces condoned off the entire area for almost nine hours and conducted house-to-house search.

Local residents alleged that they were not issued any prior notice about the search operation. They said that they were forced to remain inside their houses for the whole day.

They alleged that some people including children were thrashed and abused by the security forces when they tried to resist search of female sections of their houses. They also disputed the security forces claim of arresting 13 suspected militant and argued that scores of innocent people were rounded up without any provocation.

They alleged that forces also took along weapons kept by the local tribesmen for their protection.

Malik Faizullah Kukikhel told local journalists that no tribal elder was taken into confidence nor were they informed about the operation. He took serious exception to the search of homes without presence of lady search operators and warned that they would withdraw their support from security forces if they failed to tender an unconditional apology to the residents of Bakarabad.

The local political administration also distanced itself from the Bakarabad search operation and an official said that they too were not taken into confidence by the security forces.