LANDI KOTAL: Three suspected militants and two civilians were killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and militants in Bara on Sunday evening, officials said.

A convoy of security personnel was patrolling Dogra area when militants affiliated with the banned Lashkar-i-Islam organisation ambushed it.

In the ensuing shootout between security personnel and militants, three attackers and two non-combatants were killed.

The Lashkar-i-Islam has intensified its activities both inside Bara and the region bordering Peshawar.

The LI men kidnapped two policemen in Peshawar last week and killed one of them.

The other escaped from captivity. A couple of days ago, they killed a Khasadar and his wife.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014