Peace committee targeted: Blast in Waziristan claims 9 lives

WANA: At least nine people, most of them members of the local peace committee, were killed and 16 others were injured when an explosive device, planted by unidentified miscreants, went off at the main office of the peace committee on Monday.

Local police and Health Department officials told The News that six of the injured were in critical condition and were shifted to Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar for advanced medical treatment.

According to the police, the peace committee had convened a meeting at the office to resolve a local dispute between two tribal groups. They had just started the meeting when a powerful explosion rocked the building. The explosion was heard in nearby areas, and a portion of the building collapsed as a result.

Police and members of the Health and Rescue 1122 services responded and started retrieving the bodies and the injured from the rubble of the building. Residents also took part in the rescue operation and helped pull out the bodies and the injured from the wreckage.

The victims were shifted to hospitals. Hospital staff and the local administration initially reported the loss of seven lives and injuries to 16 people. However, the death toll later rose when two more injured individuals, including a senior leader of the peace committee, Saifur Rahman, succumbed to their injuries in a private hospital. No one claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The peace committee was formed years ago to assist the government and law enforcement agencies in combating terrorist groups in the area. However, some political parties and residents were critical of the peace committee and its role, especially given the presence of police and other law enforcement agencies in South Waziristan Lower.