LANDI KOTAL, Jan 26: A Taliban attack on an opponent group left 35 militants dead and several others injured in the Tirah valley of Khyber Agency.

Sources in the area said that fierce clashes erupted after the Tariq Afridi group of Taliban launched an attack against pro-government Ansarul Islam (AI) in Bagh-Maidan area on Friday.

The Taliban captured AI’s bases in Dwa Thoe, Angori Morcha, Bucha, Kala Vooch, Dray Aday, Haidar Kandaw and Adamkhel areas.

AI spokesman Saadat told this correspondent that 23 of AI’s supporters lost lives in two days of fighting. He said that 45 Taliban had been killed in clashes.

However, the claim could not be verified from independent sources.

The sources put the Taliban casualty figure at 12. Meanwhile, Pakistani fighter planes bombed Taliban positions in Sur Kas, Baragatt and Vacho Wany areas, but no militant was killed.

The sources said that a man, his wife and their minor son were killed and two mosques, a private school and a house were damaged in air strikes.

BOMB BLAST: A man died and his son was injured in a bomb blast in Landi Kotal on Saturday, officials said.

Tilawat Khan alias Thellu and his son were injured when an improvised explosive device went off at the gate of their house in Malagori village.

They said Tilawat Khan died before receiving medical aid. The motive behind the blast could not be known immediately.