US ambassador condemns killing of four FC personnel in Kurram blast

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale on Monday condemned the killing of an army officer and three personnel of the paramilitary- Frontier Corps in a roadside explosion near Afghan border in Kurram Agency.

A day earlier, four personnel, including a captain, were martyred and two others injured when a landmine went off in Kurram Agency.

In a statement, the US envoy expressed grief over the killing of the four personnel in the blast. He also expressed his gratitude to Pakistani troops for recovering a Canadian-American couple from the clutches of the Haqqani Network.

On Sunday, a landmine blast had occurred near Kharlachi border crossing with Afghanistan in the Kurram tribal region, leaving the four personnel dead.

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) had said in a statement that a captain identified as Husnain was among the martyred personnel of FC. Other deceased included Sepoy Saeed Baz, Qadir and Jumma Gul, it added.

It said the personnel were carrying out search operation to arrest those involved in the kidnapping of a Canadian-American couple when the explosive device went off.

Earlier this week, the Pakistan army had freed the Canadian-American couple from the clutches of the Haqqani network during a rescue mission carried out on the basis of information provided by the U.S officials.