DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A soldier was martyred and another suffered injuries in a bomb blast in the Serwakai area of South Waziristan Agency on Monday.

Officials said that the two soldiers were bringing water in containers on mules from a spring for their post when an explosive device planted on the dirt track went off.

The wounded soldier was shifted to a local hospital.

The Mehsud chapter of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A spokesperson for the group, who identified himself as Azam Tariq, told this correspondent on phone that his group had taken revenge of the killing of some tribesmen in explosion of landmines which he claimed had been laid by security forces in the area.

Assistant Political Agent Mohammad Ashfaq has confirmed the incident.

The deceased was identified as Ashfaq and the injured as Noor Ullah.

According to people of the area, security forces laid anti-personnel mines in the Mehsud area when they launched operations against militants. They said security forces had not removed the mines before opening the area for civilians. Meanwhile, the local administration imposed a curfew in the Makeen area of South Waziristan after an attack on a post in which two soldiers were wounded. The incident occurred about two days ago.

An official said that a house-to-house search operation was in progress in the area. However, he added, no arrest had so far been made.

TTP men killed in Afghanistan

A TTP leader, his brother and another man were killed in an attack on their vehicle in Afghanistan on Sunday.

The deceased hailed from North Waziristan Agency.

Sources said that TTP leader Maqbool Dawar along with his brother Murad Ali and another associate was travelling from Khost to Kabul when their vehicle came under attack in Mandozai area of Afghanistan.

Funeral prayers for the three men were offered in Afghanistan on Monday.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2017