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Leader of anti-Taliban peace militia, 3 others killed in Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 28, IRNA -- Chief of an anti-Taliban peace militia and three other volunteers were killed in outskirts of northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar Wednesday.

Mohammad Fahim Khan and three other men had been kidnapped and killed and their bodies were dumped in a car, a police officer said.

Fahim Khan was leading a ‘Lashkar’ or militia to fight the Pakistani Taliban in his Badabher area, near Darra Adam Khel tribal region. He had survived at least four Taliban’s attacks including suicide bombings.

In a recent attack on June 12, Fahim escaped unhurt in a suicide attack near Peshawar. Two police guards had been killed in the attack.

No group claimed responsibility for the killing of Fahim and his colleagues. Police and his relatives blamed Taliban militants for the incident.

A police officer said that Fahim and his volunteers had been killed in other area and their bodies were brought to Peshawar in a vehicle.

TV footage showed the police removed the bodies from the vehicle. Some of his relatives and many of his volunteers arrived at the scene and vowed to take revenge.

Fahim, who had served also an elected mayor in his area, had raised a militia to fight the Taliban in his town of Bazid Khel, some 15 kilometers south of Peshawar. The militia was launched in view of growing Taliban attacks in his area.

Militants had once also targeted Fahim’s guest house attached to his residence and killed several people.

Taliban militants routinely target members of the peace committees in their bloody campaign against the security forces.

The killing of Fahim and his colleagues has highlighted danger to the lives of the members of anti-Taliban peace groups.

Officials say that Taliban have killed hundreds of pro-government tribal elders, government officials and politicians over the past few years.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 80204158