QUETTA: A soldier of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) was martyred and five other personnel were injured when a landmine exploded beneath their vehicle in the Khost area of Harnai district on Sunday.

Official sources said the vehicle the FC personnel were travelling in hit a landmine near Sharag, triggering a loud explosion.

They said one of the soldiers died on the spot while five were injured.

The body and the injured were rushed to the district hospital.

“The FC soldier died on the spot as he had received multiple wounds,” said the deputy commissioner of Harnai, Azeem Jan.

After initial treatment the injured personnel were shifted to Quetta, he added. The vehicle of the paramilitary force was destroyed in the blast.

However, some other sources said the explosive material had been set off using a remote-controlled device.

They said the security forces launched a search operation in the nearby areas to trace the people involved in planting and detonating the landmine.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2020