MIRAMSHAH, Oct 22: The Dawar tribe raised an army of volunteers to expel foreign militants from North Waziristan and eliminate criminals, sources said. About 300 elders and Ulema belonging to the Dawar tribe, a clan of mainly Utmanzais, assembled in Miramshah on Monday to work out ways of maintaining law and order in the area.

The jirga asked foreigners living in areas of the Dawar tribe to leave the region as soon as possible. However, no deadline was fixed for doing so.

Chief of Dawar tribe Malik Khan Zeb Khan, Malik Nekam Khan, Malik Taj Mohammad and Mohammad Sher Khan addressed the jirga.

The volunteers have been given the task of eliminating criminals, restoring peace and removing foreigners.

The jirga decided that it would be the responsibility of each Dawar tribesman to stop providing shelter to foreigners and to expel them from the area. The armed volunteers would start patrolling the area soon.

The jirga decided that if someone killed a volunteer his house would be set on fire and he would be fined Rs one million. Besides, the family of the accused would be expelled from the area.

Sources said resentment was growing among tribesmen against foreigners and their local collaborators after bloody clashes and air strikes in the Mirali tehsil earlier this month. Over 200 militants, security personnel and civilians were killed.

Meanwhile, a vehicle belonging to a military convoy was hit by a roadside bomb near the Esha checkpost on Monday. One soldier was killed and four others were injured. Sources said that the convoy was going from Bannu to Miramshah.

When it reached the Qutabkhel area, five km east of Miramshah, another truck was hit by a roadside bomb. Two soldiers were injured.

Security forces called in Cobra helicopters which fired on suspected positions of the assailants.

The sources said that troops opened fire on a suspected car in Mirali Bazaar, causing panic in the town. Shopkeepers pulled down their shutters.

A paramilitary soldier was shot dead in an attack on the Thall checkpost on Sunday night.