The bullet-riddled bodies were dumped on a roadside in Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan tribal district and a known hub of Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants. – File Photo by Reuters

MIRAMSHAH: Taliban militants in Pakistan's lawless northwestern tribal belt on Tuesday shot dead four local tribesmen they accused of spying for the United States, officials said.

The bullet-riddled bodies were dumped on a roadside in Miramshah, the main town of North Waziristan tribal district and a known hub of Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants.

Officials said notes pinned on their chests purportedly from Pakistani Taliban read: “We killed them because they were spying for America, anyone who acts like this will face the same fate.” Local administrative official Syed Noor Shah told AFP: “We have recovered all the four dead bodies. They are local tribesmen aged between 25 and 40.

“The notes pasted on their chests were from Pakistani Taliban.” Two local intelligence officials confirmed the incident, saying the bodies were beyond recognition because militants had repeatedly shot the victims in the face.

Militants frequently kidnap and kill tribesmen in the troubled region, accusing them of spying for the Pakistan government or US forces in neighbouring Afghanistan, where Taliban fighters have been waging a vicious insurgency for nine years. – AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...