SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Four persons were killed when a vehicle was ambushed in Sarwakai tehsil of Upper South Waziristan district here on Monday.

A police official told Dawn that the vehicle was travelling from Shakai valley to Sarwaki when unknown attackers opened fire on it.

The police confirmed the incident and stated that the four bodies were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, Wana, for postmortem. Afterward, the bodies were taken to their native areas for burial.

The police sources revealed that the initial investigation suggested that the firing incident occurred over a personal enmity.

The victims belonged to the Wazir and Mehsud tribes. Three persons, Hafeezur Rehman, Faizanullah and Inamullah, from the Wazir Khojalkhel tribe, lost their lives in the unfortunate incident. The name of the fourth victim, belonging to the Mehsud tribe, couldn’t be immediately known.

The local people bid a tearful farewell to the deceased, with three bodies buried in Shakai valley and one in Sarwakai. The local political leaders expressed deep sorrow over the incident and demanded an investigation into the matter.

They said that the act of violence had left the community in shock. They asked the authorities to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice without delay, and the people were assured of their safety and security. They also noted that the incident was a stark reminder of the need for continued efforts to promote peace and harmony in the region.

The police said they would file an FIR after the completion of an investigation into the firing incident.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024