MIRAMSHAH, April 25: Two soldiers and three assailants were killed and 14 troops injured when an army convoy was ambushed in the Paikhel area, 15 kilometres from here on Monday evening.

Several army vehicles, en route to Miramshah from Birman, came under rocket attack after a bomb planted on the road exploded. Two soldiers were killed on the spot.

Three of the critically injured men were flown to Rawalpindi, while others were taken to Peshawar.

Soldiers, who were killed in the attack, were identified as Ahmad Nawaz and Akhtar Rasool. Four army vehicles were also damaged in the attack.

The attack triggered a fierce response from the security forces. Later, combat helicopters were called in to pound the attackers’ positions.

Three militants were killed in the army counter-attack.

The helicopters kept pounding nearby mountains and adjoining areas for several hours.

In another attack, a tribesman was killed when Frontier Constabulary personnel retaliated after a rocket attack on the Sarbandki check post on the Bannu road, about two kilometres from here.

The attack occurred during a football match between tribesmen near the post.

One of the players, whose name could not be ascertained, died after he was hit by mortar fire.

RATION ROBBED: Militants took away food items from two trucks that were carrying ration for army and security forces in two different areas on Monday.