Three peace body members killed in Tirah blast

BARA: Three members of the pro-government peace committee, Tauheedul Islam (TI), were killed and five others sustained injuries in an explosion in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, official and tribal sources said on Sunday.
They said the pro-government TI had occupied several houses of the banned Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) in Nari Baba in central Tirah Valley. The sources added that the LI fighters had planted an explosive device in one of the abandoned houses and the explosion occurred in one of the rooms.
Three fighters were killed and five others injured in the explosion, the sources added.The identity of the dead and injured fighters could not be ascertained. However, the injured were shifted to a health facility.
Meanwhile, the LI claimed responsibility for the blast.At least six fighters of the TI have been killed and several others injured during fighting between the militants last week.The tribal sources said that the TI had seized several areas and flushed out the militants affiliated with the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and LI with the help of security forces.
It may be added here that the peace committee of the Zakhakhel tribe, which was earlier a part of the LI, parted ways and formed its own faction after the LI killed a cleric belonging to the Zakhakhel tribe in Tirah Valley four years ago.