MIRAMSHAH, Aug 31: Tribesmen observed a strike in North Waziristan on Tuesday to protest against the killing of four people during a military operation in the Bangi Dar area last week.

They demanded withdrawal of troops from North Waziristan and release oftwo people who were arrested recently. Shopkeepers pulled down shutters in Miramshah, Mirali, Razmak andother areas of the agency.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) had appealed to people to observe a 'black day'. Processions were taken out and black flags and banners were hoisted on shops and houses.

Military authorities, who had earlier said that the persons killed in the operation were foreigners, returned their bodies to tribal elders in Rawalpindi on Monday. Speaking at a public meeting, National Assembly member Maulvi Nek Zaman said the tribesmen were annoyed with the army because of the military operation in their area.

He said security forces should differentiate between mujahideen and terrorists and President Pervez Musharraf should give up his pro-US policies. He said local people felt insecure after the deployment of troops in the North and South Waziristan agencies.

Cleric Maulvi Abdur Rehman said the Bangi Dar operation had proved that innocent tribesmen were being killed in the name of operation against Al Qaeda and Taliban. He said the administration should take tribesmen into confidence before launching military operations.