KHYBER: A soldier was martyred and three police officials were injured in two separate militant attacks in Tirah Valley on Thursday.

Sources said militants attacked a checkpoint in Mathray area. Security forces retaliated and an exchange of fire continued for about half an hour.

A soldier, Zubair, lost his life when militants targeted the post with a mortar shell.

Separately, three cops accompanying a polio vaccination team were injured in an attack by suspected militants near Mirdarra bridge, some three kilometres from the Bagh-Maidan Markaz, police officials in the valley said.

Officials said more police officers and troops stationed in the region were immediately dispatched to the troubled spot. They combed the area for the militants, who had fled after the attack.

Rescue 1122 staff said the three injured police officers — identified as Nek Mat Shah, Saddam and Gul Muhammad — were shifted to Peshawar after first aid.

Additional Assistant Commissioner Eh­­­tesham Javed and Regional Polio Co­ordinator Ehtesham Hayat visited the cops and assured them of full support.

Local sources said the situation in Tirah was calm and the polio vaccination was in progress.

Meanwhile, police at the Torkham border seized five unlicensed pistols from an Afghan national during routine checking on Thursday. Police said the man, Muneeb, was also taken into custody and shifted to a local sub-jail.

Also at Torkham, local customs clearing agents, transporters and traders established a protest camp against what they called unnecessary impediments to bilateral trade with Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2023