UPPER DIR: Seven people, among them a leader of a pro-government peace Lashkar and two councillors, were killed in a bomb attack in the Doog Darra area on Monday evening, police and witnesses said.

The seven were returning from a jirga, held in the Panaghar area to discuss a local matter, when the remote-controlled blast hit their pick-up in Badarkani.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Those killed were identified as Malik Khan Muhammad, a leader of the Lashkar in the Miana Doog area, and Habibullah and Mehmood Jan, both members of the Lashkar; tehsil councillor Zahir Shah aka Adil and village councillor Amanullah; and area notables Kabir and Sanaullah.

“Seven people were killed in the incident,” confirmed District Police Officer Athar Waheed.

The powerful explosion flung the vehicle into a nearby river with body parts strewn across the hillside, witnesses said.

“Six of the bodies were collected from the river,” said Shahid Khan, an eyewitness, adding the blast created a huge crater on the ground.

In 2009, Doog Darra was the only part of Upper Dir where militants secretly gained a toehold but local people joined forces and evicted them from the area after clashes when they came to know about their presence. During the fight, scores of militants were killed and dozens of houses of their supporters torched. The militants have since found refuge in Afghanistan from where they make attempts to target members of the Lashkar to avenge their defeat.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2016