BANNU: Bodies of four men have been recovered from the remote Kharsind mountainous area in Wazir subdivision here.

Police claimed that the deceased were among the Umarzai residents who had been missing along with their vehicle for the past four to five days.

They said an improvised explosive device (IED) allegedly exploded in the vehicle, killing all four men.

The deceased included Hazrat Ali, Kamran, Rehmatullah and Abuzar, all residents of Dogar Umarzai, according to police and family sources.

Their families said four people had been missing along with their vehicle for several days and could not be contacted.

Police sources said that four bodies were found in the vehicle in the mountainous area of Kharsind, Barghanto, on Thursday, following which police took action. Preliminary information suggested that the remains belonged to the four missing men who had been travelling in the vehicle.

Police said the incident appeared to have been caused by an IED blast in the vehicle although the exact nature of the explosion and circumstances surrounding the incident would be determined after further investigation.

They said the difficult terrain and prevailing security situation in the area had prevented the incident from coming to light immediately.

The four men remained missing for several days before their bodies were found in the mountainous area.

A number of families have already relocated to safer areas from the mountainous parts of Kharsind and Barghanto due to increased militant activity and security operations in the region. The situation has also significantly disrupted life in the area.

The death of four people in the incident have caused concern among local residents, while the bereaved families and local elders have called for a thorough investigation and effective measures to ensure the safety of civilians. Police and security agencies are continuing their investigation into the incident, said officials.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2026