The attacker detonated his bomb at the gate of the office of Taliban’s Abdullah Mehsood’s group in Tank, a city near South Waziristan tribal region, they said. Abdullah Mehsood, who was killed by the security forces in a raid in 2007, had launched his own group rival to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Members of the group are thought to be on good terms with the government for its rivalry to TTP. Witnesses said that guards opened fire on the bomber after suspicion but the bomber succeeded to reach at the gate of office, located in a house of the group’s leader Hasan Mehsood. Three other people were injured in the attack, locals said. They said that the attack took place shortly after a jirga or council of tribal elders from Mehsood tribe was concluded. The jirga was called to discuss the repatriation of thousands of Mehsood tribesmen who have been displaced in the wake of fighting between the security forces and Taliban militants. The government seeks support from Mehsood tribe against the Taliban militants but the tribesmen have not yet made any decision and want end to the military operation and security before returning homes. The jirga will again meet on Tuesday as the participants could not reach any agreement on repatriation and also on the government demand to hand over wanted militants including Hakimullah Mehsood.
The local administration had given a list of wanted militants to the tribal elders during previous jirgas, but there has been no progress so far to hand over the militants to the government, a tribal elder said.
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