KHAR, Nov 7: Unidentified gunmen ambushed a passenger van and killed five tribesmen in the remote Salarzai mountainous area of the Bajaur Agency, witnesses and sources told Dawn here on Friday.

A sixth was injured seriously in the attack.The sources said that some unidentified gunmen were waiting for their two rivals, who had reportedly boarded the van in the Zalarzai area on Thursday noon.

Seeing the van coming, the gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on it, killing three persons — Rehmat Khan, Gul Akbar and Juma Din — on the spot.

Three others received severe bullet wounds who were rushed to a local hospital, where two of them, Hayat Mohammad and Fateh Mohammad, succumbed to their injuries.

The condition of the third injured, identified as Ghaffar Khan, was stated to be critical.

Sources said the two persons with whom the gunmen had rivalry escaped unhurt.

The political administration has started investigation and given a 12-hour deadline to the Zalarzai tribesmen to hand over the murderers.