TANK, May 26: Two soldiers were killed and seven others wounded in a roadside bomb explosion here on Saturday.

Security officials said a military convoy comprising 45 vehicles was on its way to South Waziristan when the bomb exploded. Witnesses said one of the vehicles was damaged.

Soldiers Khalid Naseem and Tasneem died and Sajid, Gul Hassan, Juma Khan, Nasir Khan, Mohammad Azam, Imtiaz Shah and Mohammad Shakil were wounded.

The injured soldiers were taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Bannu, where the condition of two of them was critical.Meanwhile, a suspected militant was killed when a hand grenade went off before he could lob it at a police party on the Wana-Tank road. Police took the body into custody.

Police said the suspected militant, Noor Hassan, belonged to Sara Rogha area of South Waziristan.

Assistant Sub-Inspector, Investigation, Amir Abdullah, said the man was affiliated with the Baitullah Mahsud group.

The authorities had handed over the city to army after clashes between paramilitary forces and militants.

Sources said a 45-member peace jirga held talks with Taliban in Kulachi to restore peace in the area. They said the jirga later went to Jandola for negotiating with the militant commanders.

Later, militants and security forces personnel clashed at two places in the city.