LADHA, Nov 9: Two militants and a security man were killed after a militant group attacked Thowikhula Scouts Fort in South Waziristan Agency early on Friday.

Intelligence and local sources said a group of militant attacked Thowikhula Scouts Fort on Wana-Zobe Road at 3:00am on Friday with heavy and light weapons.

The security forces retaliated and the ensuing fighting continued for several hours. Rockets, missiles, mortars, cannon and other weapons were excessively used in the fighting.

Independent sources said one soldier was killed and two injured in the fighting, but the government officials and militants denied it.

Spokesman for Taliban’s local chapter Asim Mehsud told reporters from an undisclosed location that militants attacked Thowikhula Waziristan Scouts Fort early on Friday.

He said first one of Taliban fidayeen (suicide bomber) blew himself up at the main gate and then, the rest entered the fort.

The spokesman claimed that the militants killed 48 soldiers and captured three, two of them in injured condition.

However, security forces and political authorities denied the Taliban claim, saying one soldier was killed and two injured. They said from two to six militants were killed in retaliatory firing.

Locals said Wana-Zobe Road remained closed to traffic of all kinds in Thowikhula area until late night.

Security forces later cordoned off the entire area and began search operation. The closer of the road restricted the movement of the tribesmen.

Three cops injured in Peshawar Suspected militants on Friday fired gunshots at a police van in the limits of Badbher police station of Peshawar evening injuring three police constables.

An official of the police station said policemen led by sub inspector Tajamul Khan was on a routine patrol in Shahabdkhel area when unidentified men opened fire at them from a nearby graveyard at 7:20pm.

He said three constables, including Tamash Khan, driver Raz Mohammad and Yousaf Khan, suffered injuries and were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital.

The official said the constables belong to the special force.

He said police also retaliated and made attackers flee.

In the meantime, additional force was called for backup. Police later began search for militants in the area. However, no arrest was made until late night.

Terror bid foiled in Nowshera

Police on Friday foiled a terrorist attempt and defused a bomb planted near the bridge of the Kabul River on Nowshera-Mardan Road in Nowshera.

Officials said the bomb weighing five kilogrammes was planted in a ghee canister around 150 feet away from the toll plaza of Mardan-Nowshera bridge on the Kabul River.

The bomb disposal squad said it was a remote controlled bomb.

Later, police launched a search operation in the area but no arrests were made by night.