KHAR: Two personnel of the armed forces, including an officer, were martyred while four others critically wounded on Monday evening when a remote-controlled bomb went off by the roadside in Mamond Tehsil of Bajaur tribal district, officials said.

According to officials, the security personnel were on routine patrol when their vehicle hit a roadside remote-controlled bomb in Niaga Banda area at around 7pm. The Niaga Banda area is situated some 20km northwest of Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur.

Soon after the blast, people from nearby areas arrived at the spot and started rescue work. Later, personnel of security forces and Bajaur Levies launched a search operation in the area.

Two personnel — Major Saqib and Sepoy Maroof — were martyred while four soldiers were injured in the tragic incident, the officials added.

They said that the injured — identified as Arif, Sohil, Imran and Niaz Ahmad — were immediately shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Khar for treatment. Bodies of the martyred officials were being sent to their native towns, officials said.

No one claimed responsibility for the blast.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2019