Tribal elder Malik Tariq Wazir among three killed in Wana IED blast

LOWER SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: At least three people, including prominent tribal elder and Ahmadzai Wazir tribe chief Malik Tariq Wazir, were killed and four others injured in an improvised explosive device blast in the Rustam Bazaar area of Wana on Monday morning, officials said.

District Police Officer Mohammad Tahir Shah Wazir said the explosion took place near Gulshan Plaza when a vehicle carrying Malik Tariq was passing through the market. He said three people were killed at the scene, while four others suffered injuries.

According to the DPO, unidentified militants had allegedly planted explosive material near Gulshan Plaza during the night, which went off in the morning. After the blast, police cordoned off the area and began a search operation to trace those involved in the attack.

Residents and rescue workers moved the bodies and the injured to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana for treatment and legal formalities.

Medical Superintendent of the DHQ Hospital Dr Jan Mohammad confirmed that two of the injured were in critical condition and were being given emergency medical care.

The explosion triggered panic in the market, and traders and shopkeepers temporarily closed their businesses in the area.

Malik Tariq was regarded as an influential tribal figure in Lower South Waziristan and had played a significant role in settling tribal disputes and taking part in jirgas aimed at maintaining peace in the region.

It is pertinent to mention that he had previously been abducted by armed men in December 2024, but was later released after efforts by tribal elders and local mediators.

Recent attacks in the region

The latest blast comes amid a broader rise in militancy and violence in the province since 2021.

Earlier this month, three children were killed and several others injured in two separate attacks in South Waziristan.

On May 1, tribal elder Malik Saifullah Khan Dawar was shot dead outside his house in North Waziristan after reports that he had intervened and forced suspected militants to vacate a local mosque they had occupied.

In late April, unidentified gunmen killed tribal elder Malik Fazal Wahid in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He had previously survived multiple assassination attempts.