GWADAR: A convoy of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) personnel, constructing M-8 which links Gwadar with Ratodero, narrowly escaped bomb and rocket attacks in Kech district on Saturday.

According to official sources, a group of armed men had planted a bomb by the road in Berry area, about 30km from Turbat town, to target the FWO convoy.

They detonated the bomb when the convoy was passing through the area. “A powerful blast took place when WFO convoy reached the area but it remained safe,” a senior Levies Force official said.

After their failure to hit the convoy, the armed men fired rockets at it from the nearby mountains.

The security personnel in the convoy took position and returned fire.

“A heavy exchange of fire continued for about an hour after which the assailants fled from the scene,” the official said, adding that no casualty was reported from either side.

Security forces later launched a search operation in the area. However, no arrest was reported till the filing of this report.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2014