KHYBER AGENCY - Seven members of the Lashkar-e-Islam (LI), including a commander, were killed in a bomb blast at Zekhakhel area of tehsil Landikotal in Khyber Agency on Tuesday.
The deceased commander was named as Khan Muhammad. However, the six others could not be identified till filing of this report.
Separately, six bullets-riddled bodies were recovered from the deserted Narai Baba area of the Tirah valley in Khyber Agency. The deceased belonged to the Zekhakhel tribe, who had allegedly been kidnapped by the LI some months ago.
The bodies were sent for burial, locals said. The Lashkar-e-Islam and the Tauheedul Islam have been battling for supremacy in the area since long, killing scores of people from both groups.
Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen kidnapped a Christian youth from Jamrud Bazaar of Khyber Agency. According to abductee’s friend Asif Masih, he and Naveed Javed, son of Javed Pyara from Islamabad, visited Jamrud for a business matter when three unidentified gunmen kidnapped him.
Though an investigation was on, the motive behind the kidnapping could not be ascertained so far.
 Condemning the abduction, the Khyber Agency Christian Community Chairman Arshed Masih called upon the political administration to secure the release of missing youth.