At least four security personnel were killed and five others injured in an explosion carried out by suspected Maoists at a temporary security post in Ghorahi Bazaar of the mid-western district of Dang Thursday morning.

According to security sources, the explosion took place as security personnel were entering a temporary security post near Traffic Chowk in Ghorahi at around 8:10 a.m. Security personnel had been using the building to watch over the movement of people during the day and they would leave it vacant during night.

The Ministry of Defence in a statement confirmed that three Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) personnel and a policeman of the Unified Command were killed in the blast.

Local security sources said one civilian was also hurt in the incident. Five security personnel and one civilian who were injured in the blast are undergoing treatment at Mahendra Hospital in Tribhuvan Nagar. The condition of three of the injured persons s said to be critical.

So far, nobody has claimed responsibility for the explosion but police have blamed the Maoist rebels for the incident.

Security sources said search is underway in the area. Details are still awaited.