MIRAMSHAH, Jan 31: Insurgents attacked paramilitary posts in the restive North Waziristan agency where security forces launched a search operation against ‘miscreants’ on Tuesday.

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a press release issued here said that two suspected terrorists had been arrested, while two compounds were destroyed in Mirali, about 15 kilometres east of Miramshah.

Security forces and political administration along with local elders cordoned off the area where a military convoy was hit with an improvised explosive device on Monday morning, killing one soldier and wounding 12 others.

Unofficial sources said that four under-construction houses had been demolished in the Hakemkhel village of Mirali tehsil.

These sources said that two persons were taken into custody under the collective responsibility clause of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

The administration had apprehended eight people after Monday’s morning explosion.

Sources said that one of the detainees expired in Mirali jail after suffering ‘heart attack’ on Monday night. His name could not be ascertained.

After a lull in attacks, militants launched attacks against paramilitary forces and targeted check posts with rockets on Monday night.

Official sources said that several rockets were fired on Amin checkpost near Miramshah, which caused no damage.

Paramilitary troops retaliated and fired artillery rounds from their base camp. Residents said that four 130-mm shells fell on houses in the Derpakhel village, where residents had already vacated their houses due to indiscriminate firing by the security forces.

Dilawar Khan Wazir adds: Militants fired seven missiles on a check post near the military brigade headquarters in Wana in the South Waziristan Agency on Monday night.

Officials said that seven missiles were fired on the Shah Alam check post, four kilometres west of Zari Noor Colony. Paramilitary forces manned the checkpost.

In a related development, supporters of militant commander Baitullah Mahsud attacked a village in the Berki area of Ladha sub-division on Tuesday after the death of his comrade.

Clashes occurred in the rugged terrain after a tribesman Burhanuddin allegedly killed a supporter of Baitullah Mahsud on Monday.

Sources said that security forces came under attack in the area following the arrest of a Turkish national last week.