LOC13:45
10:45 GMT
By Amena Khokhar
ISLAMABAD, July 21 (KUNA) -- Many grand Jirga (tribal meeting) members
Saturday escaped a rocket attack in North Waziristan tribal agency, gathered
since Friday to save the peace accord between the government and militants.
Three rockets fired by Taliban militants hit a government degree college
adjacent to the Circuit House, where tribal elders from Federally
Administrated Area (FATA) and government officials were holding the meeting,
official security sources told KUNA.
They said the rockets caused damage to the college building but there was
no human loss. They affirmed that Jirga members were the target of the attack.
The government, in an endeavor to revive the peace accord with local
militants in the agency, signed last year, is holding talks with FATA tribal
elders and other parties concerned.
Militants scraped the deal last week while accusing the military of not
fulfilling their commitments at the time when militants in North-West Frontier
Province (NWFP) have mounted attacks on security forces to revenge deadly Lal
Mosque operation that killed 102 persons.
About 16 attacks including 12 suicide were carried out in last 16 days and
more than 100 mostly security personnel were killed and dozens wounded.
Also on Friday, militants blew up three checkposts in Miramshah, the main
town of North Waziristan agency, and Bannu tribal district but there was no
life loss. (end)
amn.rk
KUNA 211345 Jul 07NNNN