A senior official of the political administration told The Express Tribune that the attack took place late Sunday night when a group of militants attacked the Khro Shah Kandao post, located at a hill-top, near main Atta Bazaar of Khawaizai.
“Samar Gul, an important leader of the peace committee, was killed while ten others were wounded,” he said. “They also burnt the newly established post and fled the scene.”
The Khawaizai Peace Committee, a tribal militia raised by the government, is one of the strongest and largest of many tribal militias in the tribal belt of Mohmand Agency.
It has assisted the security forces and the political administration to maintain law and order, often on the frontline. The peace committees are targeted by militants who use highly sophisticated weapons and are trained in guerrilla warfare.
A resident of the area told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, because of the security situation in the war-hit area, that the border post was constructed last month after Atta Bazaar came under attack by the militants who had destroyed a school, a telephone exchange and other government installations there.
“Samar Gul was a key commander of the committee, who was second on the target list of the militants after the leader of the tribal militia, Fayaz Khan,” he added.
The injured were shifted to Agency Headquarter Hospital in Ghalanai.
Medical Superintendent at the hospital, Jehangir, told The Express Tribune that the injured were brought to the hospital for treatment late last night.
He identified two injured as Azmat and Akhtar and said that they were in a serious condition, while others who sustained injuries were out danger.
Jehangir added that they were shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
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