BANNU - A political administration official was killed and three personnel of the Levies Force sustained injuries in an armed attack by unidentified assailants on their vehicle in North Waziristan Agency on Saturday morning.
According to details, political Moharrar Hameedullah Wazir was on routine patrolling along with men of Levies Force near Talha Checkpost, when their vehicle was ambushed at Kam Sarobi area.
Hameedullah died on the spot, while three Levies personnel identified as Bukhar-u-Deen, Hazrat Ali and Akhtar Gul sustained injuries in the attack. It was learnt that the targeted vehicle was burnt completely.
The injured personnel were taken to a nearby hospital in Miranshah. There were reports that one personnel of the Levies Force also went missing in the attack. The administration initiated investigation into the incident.
Hameedullah Wazir, who was in his early 30s, served as a political clerk in the political administration office in North Waziristan.
Hameedullah’s father Amanullah was also a political tehsildar. Amanullah was also been killed by militants in North Waziristan in 2009 when he was on duty.
Hizbul Ahrar, an offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.
A number of tribal officials have been assassinated in recent months as residents return to the area following a years-long military offensive aimed at rooting out extremist groups.
After completion of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, incidents of target killings in North Waziristan Agency continue unabated despite a long sit-in by the area people outside the political agent’s office. It has been learnt that people have once again announced staging another sit-in in the agency against the incidents of target killings.
The attack that left Hameedullah Wazir dead was the eighth incident in the past two months involving targeted killings in North Waziristan, one of the mainly rugged, mountainous areas along the border with Afghanistan.
Our Staff Reporter
