Tribal elder among three killed in South Waziristan IED blast

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: At least three people, including a prominent tribal elder were killed and four others injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the Rustam Bazaar area of Wana on Monday morning.

District Police Officer Mohammad Tahir Shah Wazir said the explosion occurred near Gulshan Plaza when a vehicle carrying chief of the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe, Malik Tariq Wazir, was passing through the busy market. The blast killed three people on the spot and wounded four others.

He said unidentified militants had planted explosive material near Gulshan Plaza during the night, which was detonated in the morning as the vehicle passed.

Rescue workers and local residents shifted the bodies and injured to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Wana.

Medical Superintendent Dr Jan Mohammad said that two of the injured were in critical condition and were receiving emergency treatment.

Security forces cordoned off the area after the blast and launched a search operation to trace those responsible.

The explosion caused panic in the crowded bazaar, forcing traders to shut shops temporarily.

Tariq was considered an influential tribal figure in Lower South Waziristan, known for his role in resolving local disputes and participating in jirgas aimed at maintaining peace in the region.

He had also been abducted in December 2024 by armed men but was later released after negotiations led by tribal elders.

Former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan condemned the attack, urging authorities to fulfil their constitutional responsibility to restore peace in the tribal districts.

The latest attack underscores continuing security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal regions, where militant violence has fluctuated in recent years.