At least six people were killed and eight others injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) went off near an army vehicle in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, DawnNews reported on Tuesday evening.

Initial reports suggested that the IED had been fitted to a motorcycle and its target was a military vehicle carrying three civilian candidates seeking recruitment in the army.

All three candidates, along with three other civilian bystanders, were killed in the blast.

The injured have been shifted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Bannu for medical treatment.

Uptick in IED attacks

Last week, at least five people, including the head of a peace committee, were killed and two others had been injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in South Waziristan Agency.

According to officials, peace committee commander Wali Jan Mehsud was on his way to attend a jirga along with his brother Ahmad Jan and tribal elders when an IED device went off near his vehicle in Spinkai at around 3.35pm on December 1.

“The vehicle was completely destroyed in the attack,” said an official of the local administration, adding that five people, including Wali Jan, died on the spot and two others suffered serious injuries.