A paramilitary soldier was killed and 11 others injured in a clash following unidentified militants attacked the Kotal checkpoint late on Saturday night.Dozens of militants from Darra Adamkhel opened fire on the post manned by the Frontier Corps (FC) at the border between Kohat and Darra Adamkhel.
Havaldar Misal Khan died while Havaldar Noor Khan, Constables Khurshid Ali, Naimatullah, Saeedullah, Raqeebullah, Raees Khan, Abdul Latif, Kifayatullah, Qudratullah, Anwar Kamal and Zameen Ahmad were injured. They were rushed to the Combined Military Hospital.
District Coordination Officer Siraj Ahmad, who is also the political administrator of Darra Adamkhel, told The News that recently, the residents of Janikhel in Darra Adamkhel chased some militants out of their area while the security forces destroyed an arms-manufacturing factory in the Mirikhel area of Zarghunkhel.
He said the militants used to make suicide jackets and other explosives in the factory.
The official said the government would take strict action against anti-social elements. "Residents of Darra Adamkhel want peace in their area and they are now fed up with the miscreants," he added.
Moreover, the authorities said the Kohat Tunnel would remain closed till the restoration of peace in Darra. The security forces have started patrolling the town. They were shelling militant hideouts in various areas of Darra Adamkhel till the filing of this report.