BANNU, Dec 26: Militants are reported to have kidnapped 10 policemen after blowing up a checkpoint of the Haivad police station here on Wednesday evening.

Officials and witnesses said that the militants first opened fire with Kalashnikovs on the Mazanga checkpoint and later blew it up with explosives.

The kidnapped policemen included an ASI, a head constable and eight constables.

This correspondent made several futile attempts to contact police high-ups to get the names of the missing policemen.

Local people said that five young boys, who were returning to the village after playing a volleyball match, were injured in the attack. They were taken to the district headquarters hospital.

Talking to journalists in the hospital, the injured boys said that they rushed to the police checkpoint after hearing the sound of firing. As they neared the checkpoint, the explosives went off.