PARACHINAR/LANDI KOTAL, Jan 10: Five militants, including a local commander, were killed when two rival groups clashed in central Kurram tribal region on Monday, sources said.

They said that the killed militants belonged to Al Badr group. “The bodies of five militants, including local commander Yahya, were found in Zangi area of Kurram Agency,” they added.

Sources said that members of a rival group gunned down the five militants and threw their bodies in Zangi area. The killed militants were identified as Zuber Khan, Ismail Khan, Kamal Khan, Habibur Rehman and commander Yahya. All of them belonged to central and lower Kurram, they added.

Sources said that various militant groups developed differences with each other over extortion and ransom money. “Now they are kidnapping and killing members of rival groups,” they said.

In Khyber Agency, unidentified militants targeted two more schools in Landi Kotal tehsil, officials said.

They said that militants planted explosives in the verandas of two government primary schools in Meir Khel and Mata Khel areas of Ziayarhai.

The explosives went off with a big bang and damaged the schools. All schools in Landi Kotal are closed owing to winter holidays.

Meanwhile, FC and Khasadar force carried out a joint search operation in TD Bazaar and Sur Kamar localities of Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency. Officials said that the operation was conducted after receiving information about presence of some militants in the area.

“At least 11 suspects were arrested. Security forces also took away arms and ammunition we had kept in our houses for personal protection,” locals told Dawn. However, officials did not give any details about the seizure of arms during the operation.

Meanwhile, services of cellular phone companies in Landi Kotal and adjoining areas remained suspended for the second consecutive week. The technicians of cellular companies have refused to reinstall the stolen equipment at the two towers at Ziyazhai owing to insecurity.The services were suspended when some armed tribesmen took away equipment worth millions of rupees from the two towers on December 29.