KOHAT, Sept 21: At least 19 security personnel were injured when militants ambushed the Spina Thana checkpost of Frontier Constabulary at the northern entrance of Darra Adamkhel on Saturday night, officials said.

The nine injured personnel of Frontier Constabulary were shifted to Peshawar Combined Military Hospital while ten injured troopers of Frontier Corps were brought to Kohat CMH for treatment. The troops retaliated with heavy weapons targeting the militants, who were hiding in Akakhel area of Khyber Agency to attack security forces stationed at Spina Thana adjacent to Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel. The militants fled taking advantage of the darkness.

Meanwhile, the security forces repositioned their tanks and artillery in Tor Chappar area of Hangu district and Orakzai Agency where a large number of Taliban are believed to be hiding.

An eyewitness, Noorzad, told Dawn on Sunday that security forces moved out tanks from the hospital but still it was not clear whether or not operation was going to be launched against the militants who had kidnapped 37 people including 30 police cadets in Orakzai Agency. Two of the cadets were slaughtered by the militants when the government refused to pay Rs70 million as ransom for their release.— Correspondent