LANDI KOTAL: Six suspected militants were killed in a shootout triggered by a cross-border attack on a check-post in Khyber Agency late on Thursday night.

Two security personnel also laid down their lives in the incident that took place in the Landi Kotal area.

The attack came on the heels of talks between senior officials from Islamabad and Kabul held in London to address the humanitarian crisis created by the closure of the Afghan border by Pakistan because of strikes by militants who set up sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Officials said that a group of militants attacked the Frontier Corps post in the border area of Thor Morr-Speena Sooka near Enzari Kandaw on Thursday midnight.

The gun battle lasted several hours in which two FC personnel lost their lives and four others suffered injuries.

Security officials said the attack was repulsed killing six terrorists in retaliatory action.

Funeral prayers for Subedar Said Jan and Lance Naik Jahanzeb Afridi were offered at a local army camp while the injured — Sepoys Azizur Rehman, Ziaul Islam, Jan Alam and Rashan Gul — were taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.

Two FC men lay down their lives; Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claims responsibility

Security at posts along the border with Afghanistan was beefed up after the attack while armed personnel carriers conducted patrolling of the region.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a group affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.

In Peshawar, a policeman and an attacker were killed when a police van came under fire in the Tehkal area close to the cantonment area.

The cop was identified as Mazhar Ali, a resident of the Sherpao area of Charsadda district. Another cop, identified as Muslim Jan, who was injured, is said to be in a stable condition.

Police said that the identity of the slain attacker could not be ascertained.

Suicide bombing thwarted

In Charsadda, a paramilitary soldier lost his life and five others were injured when two would-be suicide bombers tried to storm the Frontier Constabulary training centre in the Michni area on Friday morning.

In May 2011, the same training centre witnessed a twin suicide bombing in which more than 90 recruits lost their lives.

Police said the two suicide bombers tried to enter the centre amid a hail of bullets from the back where the security personnel have set up check-posts to guard the facility spread over 45 acres of land.

Police said one of the attackers was killed in firing by security guards while the other detonated explosives strapped to his body. One soldier lost his life and five others suffered injuries in the blast.

Charsadda DPO Sohail Khalid told Dawn that both attackers wore suicide vests weighing about seven kilograms each and their bodies were torn to pieces by the impact of the explosion, adding that it was difficult to ascertain whether they were locals or foreigners.

“Samples have been collected from their [attackers’] bodies for DNA tests,” he said.

The official said the attackers also carried two grenades and two AK-47 rifles.

He said that a search operation was conducted in the area following the incident in which a helicopter also took part.

“About seven suspects have been taken into custody for interrogation,” Mr Khalid said.

The FC solider was identified as Naeemullah, a resident of Bannu. His funeral prayers were offered at the FC headquarters in Peshawar cantonment.

The injured personnel were identified as Shahid Ali, Mohammad Ibrahim, Wali Shah, Shamusl Hadi and Amir Din, who were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2017