55 dead in Tirah suicide bombing, clash

ISLAMABAD: (PAN border, on Friday afternoon.

The bomber blew himself up at the entrance to the worship place in the remote valley of Tirah at a time when a large number of people were returning from the prayers, a political administration official said.

Requesting not to be named, the official told Pajhwok Afghan News over the telephone the dead belonged to the outlawed group Laskar-i-Islam.  The area is controlled by militant leader Mangal Bagh.

Hours earlier, 23 insurgents and 10 soldiers were killed during a fierce clash in the same area, where a hilltop army position came under attack.

Rebel hideouts in the in the Lakar Baba neighbourhood were struck after the assault on security personnel by the Taliban-linked Lashkar-i-Islam group.

Farooq Afridi, a local journalist, said security forces also conducted a search operation against the militants. “Media representatives were barred visiting the area,” Afridi added.

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