LANDI KOTAL, Dec 27: A group of unidentified persons beat up few Afghan nationals and tore their travelling documents near Torkhum border here on Thursday.

Officials said that the group intercepted a number of vehicles near an old rail bridge and forcibly disembarked 29 Afghans, who were on their way to Peshawar from Torkham.

They said that the group members, whose identity could not be established, started beating the Afghans and snatched all their belongings. The attackers also tore passports of some of Afghan passengers, they added.

The personnel of Khasadar Force rushed to the spot when they were informed about the incident by some taxicab drivers, who were forcibly stopped by the attackers. The khasadars fired in the air when the group members tried to flee.

The khasadars claimed to have arrested at least five persons during a search operation in the nearby hills. The local administration, however, refused to disclose the identity of the arrested men.

The khasadars escorted back the Afghans to Torkham border and handed them over to the Afghan authorities. Hearing about the incident, Afghan border officials insisted upon closure of border but Pakistani officials assured them that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident.

Pakistani security guards had closed the border crossing for all types of vehicles on Dec 22 when Afghan policemen tortured some Pakistani labourers near Kabul and also snatched their passports.

Officials at Torkham did not admit that the Thursday’s incident could be retaliation for the Dec 22 incident.