KHAR: One child was killed and six others sustained serious wounds when a remote-controlled explosive device went off in Charmang area of Nawagai tehsil of Bajaur Agency on Thursday.

Officials of the political administration said that a group of minor girls were coming to their homes from a nearby seminary when a remote-controlled bomb went off with a big bang.

They said that one girl child was killed on the spot, while six others were wounded.

Residents of the area and members of village defence committee reached the site and shifted the wounded girls to the agency headquarters hospital in Khar.

Condition of three children is stated to be critical.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast, but officials of the administration and peace committee members said that militants could be behind the incident.

“We believe that the militants are behind this attack on innocent children,” said the officials.

They said that the political administration with the help of local tribal elders had started investigation into the incident besides forming an inquiry committee for the purpose.

A number of such incidents have occurred in various border areas of Bajaur Agency in the past few weeks.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2014