KHAR, May 5: Three levy personnel were shot dead at a checkpost in the Chaharmang area, 30 kilometres northwest of the Bajaur Agency headquarters, on Wednesday night.

Official sources said Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Rehman and Nisar Khan were sleeping when the assailants entered the check-post in the Nawa Kotki village and opened fire on them from a close range, killing them. The village is three kilometres from the Afghanistan border.

Villagers said they heard gunshots at around 1:30am.

Political authorities and security forces reached the area and shifted the bodies to Levy lines.

The funeral of the victims was attended by political agent Mohammad Fahim Wazir and other high-ranking officials.

So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, according to assistant political agent Mutahir Zeb Khan, the attack could be the result of a personal enmity.

The political authorities have initiated a probe into the incident and arrested four suspects.

In April, a levy personnel and an Al Qaeda leader had been killed in a clash here. Two other levy personnel had been injured.

The administration had arrested about 15 tribesmen of the Mamond area last week.