MIRAMSHAH, Aug 18: Four paramilitary soldiers were killed and three others injured in attacks on five checkpoints in the restive North Waziristan Agency on Saturday, officials and eyewitnesses said.
Two soldiers were killed and two others injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into the Tharkhobi check post, 30km east of Miramshah.
The officials said that two FC soldiers were killed in a firefight with suspected pro-Taliban militants at two check posts in Isha and Kamar areas, some 8-10km from Miramshah. The clash lasted for about two hours.
One paramilitary soldier was injured when security personnel came under attack at the Gora Qabristan checkpoint, near the Miramshah bazaar on Friday night.
The officials said that militants also fired 20 rockets at the Bonda check post on Saturday morning. Security forces fired mortar shells from the Miramshah fort to counter the attack. No loss of life was reported in the attack.
AFP adds: A bomb planted by suspected militants blew up a check post in the Hazarnau village, 12km north of Khar, the main town in Bajaur.
The authorities defused a second bomb planted at the checkpost and arrested 18 tribesmen under local laws, an official said, adding that there were no casualties in the blast.