PESHAWAR: Three tribesmen including a paramilitary soldier were killed on Thursday as militants attacked a convoy of Sipahe Tribe – a predominant Shia clan – returning from a funeral in Lal Pura area of Lower Orakzai Agency.

Tehsildar Lower Orakzai Agency, Sher Bahadar Khan told Dawn.com that a terrorist has also been gunned down while at least five others managed to escape the site.

He said that a search operation has been launched in the area and a number of suspects have been arrested.

Some sources said that the attack was aimed at the Shia tribe, who are opposed to militant acts. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

The political administration said that they were investigating into the incident.

Orakzai Agency has been one of the toughest war zone, which was used to be the second home to most of the Mehsud Taliban led by Hakimullah Mehsud and it took the security forces almost three years to flush the militants out of the area.

However, miscreants’ presence still remains in few isolated areas. The militants persist in carrying out terrorist activities in the agency and the adjoining Hangu district mostly targetting minority Shia community.