July 17, 2008	Thursday	Rajab 13, 1429

PARACHINAR, July 16: An official and two Levies personnel were kidnapped by some people near Tari Mangal in the Kurram tribal region on Wednesday, hours before two rival tribes agreed to end the four-month-long conflict, sources said.

Officials believed that Mangal tribesmen had kidnapped political muharrar Naqeeb Hussain along with Levies personnel Hussain Asghar and Dilawar Hussain from a checkpost near Tari Mangal.

Local people said a Levies man, Payo Gul, hailing from the Mangal tribe had invited the official for a jirga. After the jirga, the three persons were kidnapped. Sources said the employees were kidnapped at a time when the rival tribes had agreed in principal to end the conflict.

The dispute between inhabitants of Tari Mangal and Piwar areas has claimed 20 lives and left over 100 injured.

A jirga met elders of the two groups, who agreed to cease fire from July 21.