MIRAMSHAH, Dec 12: Fifteen soldiers were killed and 38 others injured in an attack and in roadside explosions in different areas of North Waziristan on Wednesday, officials and local people said.

However, Inter Services Public Relations said in a statement that six soldiers had been killed and 25 injured in the ambush. It said militants had suffered 15 casualties in a counter-attack.

Local people said they had seen the bodies of 15 soldiers and disputed the ISPR claim that 15 militants had been killed.

The injured soldiers were taken to a military hospital in Bannu.

Sources said a military convoy, going from Miramshah to the Razmak sub-division, came under intense firing by militants after it had hit an improvised explosive device in the Dosali area. The assailants used heavy machine-guns and rockets. Three army trucks were damaged in the attack.

Helicopters were called in to help the troops stranded in a narrow gorge.

This was the deadliest attack on army personnel in the region since Oct 9 when troops, backed by jet bombers and helicopters, had heavily bombed suspected locations in several villages of Mirali, killing more than 100 people.

Tension gripped the area after the attacks and when troops blocked some main routes in the agency.

Sources said the convoy struck another explosive device in the Damdail area and four soldiers were injured.

Another convoy, going from the Razmak sub-division to Miramshah, the agency headquarters, hit a bomb planted on the road. Two soldiers were injured.

The forces were shelling the Assadkhel village from their base camp in Miramshah when this report was filed.

The sources said troops had defused three bombs planted along a main road in the Dre Ghundai area.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.