MILITANTS KILL 1 SOLDIER, WOUND 12 IN KURRAM AGENCY

The militants detonated a bomb near a military vehicle and then opened fire at the convoy, in the Shahedano Dhand area, confirmed the officials. The vehicle was almost destroyed as a result of the fire.

Earlier on Friday, seven security personnel and 18 militants were killed in an attack in the Shaheedano Dhand area of lower Kurram Agency. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have claimed responsibility for the attack.

The area is a rugged mountainous terrain, where security officials have been trying to block the route used by militants to move from one tribal area to another.

The heights of Kurram are of strategic importance because of their natural connectivity from Tirah valley of Khyber to North Waziristan.