PESHAWAR, Jan 13: An Ahmadzai Wazir sub-tribe in the South Waziristan Agency on Tuesday surrendered three people accused of harbouring Al Qaeda militants to the authorities.

Officials reached by phone in Wana, the regional headquarters of South Waziristan, said the Gangikhel tribe surrendered three tribesmen wanted by the authorities on the charges of sheltering and facilitating Al Qaeda activists.

The three - Irsal Khan, Gul Abbas and Sher Mohammad alias Ma Khan - were on the list of 41 tribal suspects prepared by intelligence agencies. "Pressure is mounting on tribes and the possibility of an action by a tribal Lashkar is paying dividends," Wana Deputy Administrator Rehmatullah Wazir told Dawn by telephone.

The three tribesmen were handed over to a group of tribal elders who had gone to the Azam Warsak area to forewarn the tribe of an impending action by the Lashkar if they did not comply with the decisions of the Ahmadzai Wazir tribal Jirga.

Rehmatullah Wazir said tribal elders were also negotiating with the Tozaikhel tribe to convince them into surrendering four tribesmen wanted by the authorities.

"We are receiving encouraging reports. We may get some more people we have been looking for," Mr Wazir said. Meanwhile, tribal elders reached by phone said preparation for launching the tribal Lashkar was in final stage and hoped it would begin its work by Wednesday to force different tribes into handing over men wanted by the government.