MIRAMSHAH, June 18: Troops shot dead two tribesmen in Spinwam area of the North Waziristan Agency on Sunday and arrested five people and found hand-grenades in their possession. Security forces said the two were ‘suspected militants’.

Sources said that Zainullah and Bulbul were passing through a paramilitary checkpost when they came under fire and died on the spot.

Residents of the area said the tribesmen were unarmed and not involved in militancy.

Officials said three people fired near the checkpost. Troops returned fire, killing two suspects. A third suspect escaped, they added.

Troops arrested five people at the checkpost and found 14 hand-grenades in their possession, the sources said.

AFP adds: Soldiers at the post near the town of Mirali spotted two armed men and cautioned them to stop. But they opened fire and were killed in a ‘retaliatory strike’ by the troops, local administration official Fida Mohammad Khan said.

Our Wana correspondent adds: Meanwhile, a tribal militant in the South Waziristan Agency on Sunday demanded pullout of the army from tribal areas.

A self-proclaimed leader of militants, Haji Mohammad Omar, while speaking at a big gathering in Shakai near Wana, said peace could not return to the North and South Waziristan Agencies unless army left the region.

The gathering was organised to commemorate the second death anniversary of militant leader Nek Mohammad Wazir, who was killed in a missile attack.

About 4,000 tribesmen attended the death anniversary. They had put up black and white banners and were chanting slogans against the United States.

Haji Omar said that suicide attacks and jihad in Afghanistan would continue till foreign troops left Kabul.