At least eight people were killed and another 12 injured when a high-intensity bomb exploded in Pashat Bazar of Bajaur Agency’s Salarzai tehsil on Saturday. Those killed included two leading tribal elders who had played a key role in organising traditional tribal lashkars against militants in the area. Malik Tehsil Khan and Malik Mian Jan, the two tribal elders of the Salarzai tribe, were sitting inside a tea shop in Pashat Bazaar when the bomb exploded, killing both the tribal elders and six others on the spot.
Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. “We carried out the bombing against the peace committee because they had joined the government and were maligning the Taliban,” TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP. “We had warned them before and warn them again that they should disband this anti-Taliban peace committee otherwise we will continue to attack them till they are totally eliminated,” Ehsan said.