Above: Tribesmen Bombed in Pakistan

A bomb kills 42 as terrorists attack a tribal peace assembly near a government checkpoint in Darra Adam Khel in Pakistan. 58 others were wounded. Among the dead was Maulana Sabir Afridi, convener of the jirga. Pictured above: other tribesmen return to the blast site.

The tribal assembly or jirga was between the Zarghum Khel, Akhurwal, Sheraki, Bosti Khel and Toor Chapper tribes. They were going to discuss the formation of a military force or Lashkar to help them deal with the pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in their region.

1,000 tribesmen attended the assembly that started at 9 in the morning. It ended with a unanimous decision between the tribes that a Lashkar should be formed to replace the military troops in their area. The Lashkar was to be formed to battle “terrorist” militants using the name of Islam in their attacks. No politician nor military personnel were present in the meeting.

A surviving tribesman told the media that the explosion happened as the assembly were finishing protocols for the proposed tribal force: “I fell and became unconscious just as I was about to leave the meeting,” said Mr. Izat Khan.

According to one of the Tribal elders, Haji Gul Rahim, they were thankful that when the bomb exploded only a few hundred were left since the meeting had already ended.

A severed head found at the blast site lead officials to believe it was a suicide bombing and that the bomber was a teenager from the Sheraki tribe area.

The North-West Frontier Province Governor condemned the blast in a handout distributed to the public:

“Governor Owais Ghani has described this suicide attack un-Islamic, inhuman act, and in total violation of tribal norms and traditions of the area, in which elders and the most respectful forum, jirga, had been targeted. These elements would meet their fate soon as the government and the people had joined hands to root them out for the sake of peace and stability in the area.”

The area of Darra Adam Khel served as a battlefield between security forces and militants last January after the militants had seized a number of army trucks that transported weapons. The fighting lasted for a week and caused many deaths from both parties.

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