GHALANAI, Feb 11: The body of a kidnapped official of Khasadar Force was found in Khwezai area of Mohmand Agency on Saturday, officials said.

They said that the slain khasadar, Toor Gul Khan, a resident of Atta Khewazai, was kidnapped by unidentified militants along with three other people a couple of days ago.

The other kidnapped persons were identified as Khalid, Ajmir and Mohammad.

Mohmand Taliban spokesman Mukarram Khurasani has claimed responsibility for the killing of the kidnapped security man, saying other people in their custody are relatives of khasadars.

In Khyber Agency, one person was injured and a vehicle was partially damaged when a roadside bomb exploded in Tirah valley on Saturday.

Sources said that a pick-up truck loaded with timber was on its way to a local market when it was hit by an explosive device planted along roadside in Khayest village.

They said that the driver was critically injured while his vehicle was partially damaged. The injured driver, whose identity could not be established, was shifted to a local dispensary for treatment.

In Kohat, police claimed to have arrested nine militants including a local commander after fierce gun battle in Mando Khel area on late Friday night.

The militants hurled hand grenades at a police van during a search operation and injured a constable identified as Syed Hussain. He was admitted to a hospital.

Bilitang police, backed by armoured personnel carriers, had launched a search operation in the area after getting information that militants were hiding there.

Militants attacked a police vehicle with hand grenades. An APC was also partially damaged in the attack. After the incident, Elite Force and commandoes were sent to the area to help the police party busy in search operation.

The law-enforcers besieged the entire area and arrested a local militant commander identified as Mullah Yousuf Ali along with his eight accomplices. The arrested militants were shifted to Bilitang police station where a case was registered against them under Terrorism Act.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of Kohat has claimed that militants have been wiped out from most of the areas in frontier region and peace will be restored after the expulsion of their remnants.

He was speaking after inaugurating polio vaccination campaign in the office of the assistant political agent by administering drops to a child.

He said that the semi-autonomous tribal area of Kohat had been made safe by security forces and the remaining militants would also be eliminated soon.

The commissioner said that government would form peace jirgas throughout the Frontier Region of Kohat to ensure lasting peace in the areas.

He said that government would set up a university in Darra Adamkhel that would play a major role in educating tribesmen and bring them at par with other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.