MIRAMSHAH, June 13: A pro-government tribal elder, his three brothers and a nephew were killed in North Waziristan on Friday.

According to sources, Malik Zahideen, his brothers and the nephew were going from Degan village to Birmal in Afghanistan when masked men opened fire on them at a place about 15 kilometres west of Miramshah.

The sources said that Malik Zahideen was accused by some people of supplying goods to US-led forces in Afghanistan.

According to the AFP news agency, the five tribesmen were gunned down for ‘spying’ for foreign forces in Afghanistan.

The agency quoted a local official as saying that the five were staying in a house in Dattakhel when they were attacked.

“We believe they were killed because Taliban suspected them of spying for the coalition forces in Afghanistan,” said the official.