WANA, South Waziristan -- A clash between Pashtun activists and local militants Sunday (June 3) killed two people and wounded 25 others in South Waziristan, near the Afghan border, officials said.
The incident occurred in the Rustam Bazaar of Wana, where the military has in the past conducted a string of punishing offensives to hunt down Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants.
Supporters of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) wanted to hold a rally to protest against growing corruption in the tribal regions.
"The clash erupted after supporters of Manzoor Pashteen were stopped from holding a protest rally by local militants belonging to the Maulvi Nazir group", a senior local administration official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Maulvi Nazir Wazir was a pro-government militant commander of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who carried out attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan. He was killed in an air strike in 2013.
The Pashtun activists torched two offices of the militants, which led to an exchange of fire, killing two people and wounding 25 others, the official said.
Authorities were not immediately able to ascertain the identities of those killed and injured.
The local administration immediately imposed a curfew on the area to control the fast deteriorating situation, another local intelligence official, who confirmed the incident and casualties, told AFP.
Another official said efforts were under way to bring the situation under control, adding the local administration was holding talks with the "two parties".
