PARACHINAR/KOHAT, Dec 12: Three children were killed and seven others received injuries when militants fired mortar shells at a residential area in upper Kurram tribal region on Sunday.

Official sources said that militants fired mortar shells apparently at an Imambargah in Talozan Tangi area of Kurram. But the shells landed in residential areas, killing three children and injuring seven others.

Residents said a majlis of Shia community was in progress in the Imambargah when the mortars were fired. “If the mortar shells hit the Imambrgah it would have resulted in huge causalities,” they added.

The local people expressed concern over security situation in the region. They said the region was sensitive and administration should take stringent measures to avert any eventuality.

Meanwhile, the alleged terrorists, arrested along with explosives-laden vehicle the other day in Kohat, were remanded in police custody for two days by the special duty judge on Sunday.

The investigation wing of police presented both the accused in the court of special duty judge, Zahid Hussain, and requested for their remand.

After reviewing the application the judge remanded the accused for two days in police custody.

The accused, Imran of Charsadda and Akseer Ali of Orakzai Agency, were arrested by police at BannuRoad railway crossing with 1,000 kilograms of explosives.

During initial investigations the alleged terrorists revealed that they were carrying the explosives for construction of roads in the mountainous tribal area of Orakzai Agency.

The private contractor had asked them to collect the explosives from Nowshera and bring the same to the tribal area but they could not present any permit, licence or official permission for transporting explosives in such a huge quantity.