August 22, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 19, 1429

MINGORA, Aug 21: A former union council nazim and four other people were shot dead in different areas of Swat, sources said on Thursday.

Haji Musa Khan, a pro-government tribal elder, was killed by militants on Wednesday night when he was coming home after offering Isha prayers in the Ningolai area of Kabal.

His guards opened fire but the assailants managed to escape. A passerby was injured in the firing. Haji Musa Khan had escaped a bomb and a gun attack in recent past.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan claimed responsibility for the killing and accused the tribal elder of being an active supporter of security forces.

“He provided land for a security checkpost and several of our men were arrested at the post.”

Former union council nazim and Awami National Party’s local leader Mohammad Amin and three of his associates Tahir Khan, Nawab and Yahya Khan of Ningolai were killed after their vehicle was ambushed near Dherai.

They were returning from the Saidu Sharif hospital where they had gone to enquire after the health of Musa Khan and the injured person.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan denied responsibility for the attack and said Taliban had no enmity with the former nazim and his associates.

Meanwhile, traffic on the Mingora-Khwazakhela road was suspended when militants blew up a bridge near Dakorak area of Chrabagh tehsil early on Thursday morning. A portion of the bridge was destroyed.