12 Pakistan tribesmen killed in Afghan ambush

PESHAWAR: Unknown gunmen in eastern Afghanistan attacked a bus carrying Pakistani tribesmen on Saturday, killing 12 people and injuring another four.

The tribesmen were travelling in a passenger bus from Parachinar, the main town in the Kurram tribal region, to Peshawar, but had taken a detour into Afghanistan to avoid a dangerous direct route.

Unknown gunmen opened fire on the bus in the Shahr-e-Nau area of Paktia province, Rohullah Samon, a spokesperson for the provincial governor said. At least 12 tribesmen were killed on the spot and another four wounded. Afghan security forces shifted the casualties to a local hospital.

Passenger buses from Parachinar often take long detours to avoid the area which has witnessed increased sectarian violence recently. It is unclear who carried out the attack. Militants linked to the Afghan Taliban are the main suspects. The bodies of the 12 tribesmen were handed over to the Pakistani authorities on Saturday. The arrival of 12 bodies in Parachinar sent a pall of gloom over the town. And the local traders’ union announced a three-day shutter-down strike to mourn the killings.

Most dead belong to the Toori tribe. Mussarat Hussain, chief of the Tehrik-e-Hussaini Pakistan, alleged that “officials knew that the route was not safe for travellers but they did nothing for the security of passengers.” He said security situation in Kurram Agency was going from bad to worse but the authorities were not taking any steps to restore order. “Such massacres of innocent people will not be tolerated,” he warned. Security situation remains fluid in the region plagued by sectarian clashes for the last more than two and half years. Tribesmen prefer to take long detours into Afghanistan to reach Peshawar instead of travelling on the perilous Thall-Prarachinar-Sadda highway. It’s the only land route which links Kurram Agency with the rest of the country.

Last week security forces claimed that they had flushed out Taliban-backed militants from 80 per cent of Kurram Agency and made the highway safer for travellers. They also took a select group of journalists on a tour to the region to show their gains.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2010.