KHAR/LANDI KOTAL, May 18: A member of Mamond peace committee was killed and his two companions critically injured in a militant attack in Tangi Garigal area of Mamond tehsil in Bajaur Agency on Friday morning.

Local tribesman Juma Khan told Dawn that around 15 militants attacked the post of the peace committee outside Tangi Garigal area with heavy weapons.

He identified the dead man as Malik Gul Rehman and the injured as Azizur Rehman and Khalil and said the injured were admitted to the Agency Headquarters Hospital in Khar where their condition was critical.

No militant group claimed responsibility for the attack until Friday night.

Local officials said militants carried out the attack to terrorise people, especially members of peace committees.

They said Gul Rehman received threats from the Taliban of late.

After the attack, security forces began a search operation in the area and arrested several suspects.

A local official said the arrested men were shifted to Khar for interrogation.

In Jamrud area, the local administration on Friday demolished dozens of shops on suspicion of being hideouts of militants and anti-social elements.

Assistant political agent of Jamrud Bakhtiar Mohmand told Dawn that 55 shops were demolished in Shah Kas area as the administration had credible information about their use by a Taliban group and a gang of kidnappers.

He said the khassadar force had arrested a suspect militant on Wednesday and seized his vehicle, which was suspected to be used in the kidnapping of an Afghan trader.

Mr Bakhtiar said the trader’s father was shot dead after he resisted his son’s kidnapping.

“Shops in two Shah Kas markets were demolished after the arrested man informed us that the place is frequently used by militants,” he said.

The assistant political agent said the kidnapper’s gang, which was linked to a militant group, was involved in the kidnapping and killing of two policemen. He said kidnappers kept policemen in the said markets before killing them.

He said the arrested suspect was being interrogated and the information gleaned from him would be used for action against militants.