PESHAWAR: At least three people were killed and 11 others injured when armed tribesmen opened indiscriminate firing on participants of a reconciliatory traditional jirga at Wana, headquarters of South Waziristan Agency on Friday.
A leading tribal elder was amongst the killed whereas Naib Political Tehsildar Mahmood Khan was amongst the injured.
Reports from Wana revealed that Naib Political Tehsildar Mahmood Khan had convened a traditional jirga for settling a land dispute between a group of tribesmen from Ahmadzai Wazir and Dotani tribes in the political compound. During the discussion, armed people from the Dotani tribe became allegedly infuriated and opened fire on the participants.
As a result of the indiscriminate firing, three people were killed and 11 others were injured. The killed included Malik Behram Khan Khojalkhel, a leading elder from Ahmadzai Wazir tribe. The injured were admitted to Agency Headquarters Hospital.
The site was cordoned off by the personnel of the security forces and a search operation was conducted. Some members of the Dotani tribe who allegedly opened fire on jirga participants succeeded in escaping the scene.
Indiscriminate firing against the traditional tribal reconciliatory jirga caused unrest in Wana and its surrounding areas. The Ahmadzai Wazir is the biggest tribe of South Waziristan whereas Dotani is a small tribe. Officials in political administration had not yet issued any statement but they were engaged in efforts for bringing the situation under control.
