An explosion near a security forces’ convoy in North Waziristan Agency on Tuesday injured a soldier.
The blast took place on the Ghulam Khan Road in the tribal region and was caused by an improvised explosive device. The security forces’ convoy was en route from the tribal region’s Miramshah town towards Ghulam Khan tehsil when the explosion occurred.
North Waziristan is one of the seven regions in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) governed by tribal laws. An extremist insurgency led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) plagues the region and the area is known to be infested with militants, including those from Al Qaeda and other armed extremist organisations.
The explosion comes at a time when the Shura of the outlawed TTP is still deciding its future line of action on peace talks with the government and the ceasefire which ended on April 10. The Shura had met at an unspecified place in North Waziristan on Monday to discuss the dialogue process. Monday’s meeting had however failed to reach consensus over the ceasefire and continuation of talks.
The issues of ceasefire extension and exchange of non-combatant prisoners topped the agenda of the meeting.
