BARA: The head of Kamarkhel tribal lashkar was killed and his associate sustained injuries in a remote-controlled explosion in Takhtaki area of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency on Saturday, local sources said.
The sources said that Rasheed Khan, a tribal elder and head of Kamarkhel lashkar in Takhtaki area, was on his way to the mosque along with one of his friends, Adam Khan for offering fajr prayer when the explosion occurred. Rasheed Khan died on the spot and his companion sustained injuries in the blast, the sources added.
Geographically located in the centre of militancy-hit Tirah valley, Kamarkhel Afridi tribe in Takhtaki area had been neutral in the rivalry between the militant groups Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) and Ansarul Islam (AI) and had formed the tribal lashkar to defend their area against any aggression by these groups, the local sources said.
The sources said after taking over the Kukikhel area in Tirah valley, the militants belonging to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) warned the elders of Takhtaki to surrender to them or face the consequences. The elders defied the order and vowed to protect their area against the militants.
No individual and group have yet claimed responsibility for the assassination of the tribal elder.
Meanwhile, LI burnt down three houses and two shops owned by the volunteers of Zakhakhel tribal lashkar in Muthrey area of Tirah valley on Friday night, the local sources said.