By: Salman Ali Khan
Unidentified armed men have taken away oil tankers along with 8 crew members in Bannu on Monday.
According to a statement issued by the district police officer, Bannu, Saleem Abbas Kulachi, the oil tankers were hijacked near the Tuchi Bridge on the Marwat Canal.
Three oil tankers travelling from North Waziristan to Bannu were taken, along with their drivers and conductors. The hijackers abandoned the oil tankers but fled in the vehicles. There are reportedly 7 to 8 people, including drivers and conductors, involved in the incident. No application has been received from anyone yet. Action will be taken as soon as a vehicle owner files a report.
Read also: Terrorist attack targets Tribal Jirga in Jani Khel, Bannu one killed, several injured
A local tribal jirga (council) in the Jani Khel area of Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, came under a brutal attack today as armed terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on participants. According to preliminary reports, several individuals sustained injuries in the assault, while panic gripped the area.
Sources on the ground reported that the jirga was convened to resolve a local tribal dispute. Among the attendees was a prominent tribal elder, Malik Aid Nawaz Khan, who was reportedly the main target of the attack. Eyewitnesses claim the assailants attempted to abduct Malik Aid Nawaz Khan, but the effort was thwarted due to resistance from jirga members.
When participants tried to resist the kidnapping attempt, the attackers opened fire, resulting in chaos and multiple injuries. The attackers reportedly fled the scene after the failed abduction attempt. Security forces later cordoned off the area, and an operation is underway to trace and apprehend the perpetrators.
The Jani Khel region in Bannu has long faced issues of militancy, lawlessness, and tribal tensions. Over the past few years, there have been several incidents where peace negotiations or tribal gatherings were targeted by insurgents, especially when they involved influential tribal figures or community decisions against extremist elements.
Tribal jirgas, a traditional system of dispute resolution in the tribal and semi-tribal areas of Pakistan, often face threats from militants who view these gatherings as opposition to their influence. Elders who support peace initiatives or collaborate with state authorities are often targeted.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, officials suspect the involvement of local militant networks operating in the region. Security agencies are continuing their investigation, and more details are expected as the situation unfolds.
