PARACHINAR, Pakistan, July 17 (UPI) -- Suspected militants killed 18 civilians when they opened fire on vehicles being escorted by security forces in tribal Pakistan Saturday, witnesses said.
The convoy was headed to the northwestern city of Peshawar from Parachinar, where the army has killed nearly 100 militants in the past two months, Pakistan's Dawn News reported.
"Militants attacked the last two vehicles in the convoy with automatic weapons near Char Khel village, killing 18 people," said Jamshed Tori, who was wounded in the attack.
A tribal leader, Mussrat Bangash, said two women were among the dead.
Violence has worsened recently after a lull even as the government claims major inroads against insurgents in the militant stronghold South Waziristan bordering Afghanistan.
The road between Kurram and Peshawar often is closed because of military operations, forcing people to go through Afghanistan to travel to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and its capital, Peshawar.
