LANDI KOTAL, Aug 6: A driver was killed when armed persons attacked a Nato container on Peshawar-Torkham Highway in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency on Monday.

Officials said that armed motorcyclists opened firing on the convoy of containers near Teddi Bazaar, hardly a furlong away from the offices of political administration in Jamrud.

The firing resulted in killing of an Afghan driver. Hospital sources in Jamrud said that the deceased received two bullets in his head and chest.

Khasadar personnel, deployed along the road for security, chased the assailants and fired at them but they managed to escape. Traffic on Peshawar-Torkham Road remained suspended for some time after the attack.

It was second attack of its kind during the last two weeks after resumption of Nato supply through Chaman and Khyber Pass in early July.

A driver was killed and his assistant injured in a similar attack at the same place on July 24 after which Nato supply through Torkham was temporarily suspended till August 4.

A local militant group, Abdullah Ezzam Brigade, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, four militants, including a local commander, were killed and four others received injuries in two separate bomb blasts in Bara on Monday.

Sources said that Said Rahim, a Lashkar-i-Islam commander, along with his five bodyguards was patrolling the area in Akkakhel when his vehicle was targeted by a roadside explosive device. Said Rehman and one of his guards were killed on the spot while his four other companions were critically injured in the blast.

In Khurmatang locality of Akkakhel, two Taliban riding a motorcycle, were killed in a remote controlled blast.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for any of the two incidents.

Meanwhile, six persons, including women and children, were critically injured when a mortar shell hit the house of Gul Waaz in Arjali Nadi area in Bara. The injured were shifted to a hospital in Peshawar.

Sources said that security forces pounded militant hideouts in the area with artillery firing during which a stray shell fell on a private house.

In North Waziristan Agency, a soldier was injured when a convoy of security forces was targeted by a remote controlled bomb at Kam Sarobi area on Anthia-Razmak Road. The convoy was on its way from Razmak to Bannu.

Another convoy of security forces, going form Miramshah to Dattakhel, was also targeted by a landmine near Zakim Hospital. However, no casualty was reported in the incident.

Security forces cordoned off the area and started search operation. Curfew was also imposed in several areas of the tribal region after both the incidents.

Meanwhile, US drones flew over Dattakhel, Hamzai, Mohammadkhel, Miramshah, Mir Ali and others areas, creating panic among people.

In South Waziristan, one militant was killed and two others were injured during a clash between Mullah Nazir group and Commander Ghulam Jan group in Wana Rustam Bazaar on Monday. Sources said that militants of Mullah Nazir group exchanged hot words with Saleem Afridi, a member of Commander Ghulam Jan group, over running a training centre.

The militants of Mullah Nazir group told Mr Afridi to abandon the training camp in their area. However, Mr Afridi refused to do so that led to a brawl between them. The militants of Mullah Nazir group tried to bundle him in a vehicle but Mr Afridi pulled the pin of his hand grenade that exploded, killing him on the spot and injuring two of his rivals, sources added.

In Kohat, unidentified persons blew up a surveillance post of tribesmen in Mir Asghar Mela of Kachai Town on Monday.

The tribesmen had established the checkpost for monitoring the movement of their rivals, members of Mishti tribe in Orakzai Agency. They said that the destroyed post would be reestablished soon.

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