PESHAWAR: At least nine paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed and 20 others wounded in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in North Waziristan tribal region's Boya area on Sunday according to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) sources.

A convoy of military vehicles was travelling from Datakhel area to Miramshah area when it was struck by a remotely-detonated bomb planted on the roadside in Boya area of North Waziristan tribal region.

At least FC personnel had died and 20 others were wounded in the explosion.

Militant groups including the Taliban and al Qaeda operate in the volatile tribal region, often launching attacks on troops and civilians from mountain hideouts on the porous border.

Initially, army sources said three soldiers had been killed but later a security official in the regional town of Miranshah raised the death toll to nine.

The victims were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital.

A daily curfew is imposed in the area from 4 pm evening till 5am in the morning ensure safe passage for the moveent of military personnel. Militants often used IEDs to target military personnel due to the curfew.

Militant group claims responsibility

Asnarul Muhjahideen militant group has claimed responsibility for the North Waziristan Agency convoy attack.

Spokesman for the Ansarul Mujahideen Abu Baseer speaking to Dawn.com from an undisclosed location said that the attack has been carried out by the TTP offshoot in reaction to the drone attack in Mir Ali which had left at least four suspected militants dead.

“This is a revenge for the attack the other day and such strikes will go on,” he said.

“In response to the drone strikes, we are now planning to extend our attacks outside the settled areas.. its all the Pakistan government’s responsibility as it is providing space for such drone strikes on the tribesmen,” Abu Baseer remarked.