WANA, Jan 18: Two Uzbek militants were killed while planting an anti-personnel mine aimed to kill the leader of a tribal peace committee in South Waziristan region, an official said.

The two Uzbeks said to be in their early 30s were killed in Asmaan Raghzai in Makin in South Waziristan on Monday night while attempting to plant the mine aimed to kill Ibrahim Khan, senior vice-president of the Makin Peace Committee.

The two, wearing the local baggy trousers and the army's battle-fatigue jackets, were hounded by Ibrahim's dogs at around 11pm just when they were planting the mine, Amez Khan, a junior officer in Makin, told Dawn by telephone.

"The dogs got them down before Ibrahim Khan could pick up his rifle and shoot the two men to death", the officer said. This apparently was the third attempt on the life of the tribal leader who had been instrumental in nabbing two Uzbek militants and handing them over to the authorities some times back.