At least three people were killed and two wounded in a landmine explosion in Mohmand Agency on Friday, officials said.

The blast occurred on a day when tribal people in most parts of Mohmand Agency are celebrating Eidul Azha.

According to political administration officials, the blast occurred near Shati Mena area of Ambar tehsil, leaving three people dead and two others injured. A man and his son are among the dead.

A tribal leader, Malik Ali Rehman, and a second person wounded in the blast have been shifted to a local hospital for treatment.

Rescue teams and security personnel reached the site soon after the blast. They cordoned off the area and started an investigation into the incident.

Mohmand is one of Pakistan’s seven semi-autonomous tribal districts near the Afghan border, rife with homegrown insurgents and foreign militants.

Despite heavy military presence on both sides of the border, cross-border movements of militants (in both ways) have been a major area of concern.

In late 2009, the military launched two back-to-back operations Brekhna-I (Lightning) and Brekhna-II to regain control of the Mohmand tribal region.

Local militants have fled ongoing military offensives since 2008, taking refuge across the border and attacking Pakistani military checkpoints and civilians from there.

As a result of the army operations, security in the country has since improved. Scattered attacks still take place, but they are fewer and of a lesser intensity than in previous years.