WANA, May 18 — A powerful improvised explosive device (IED) blast killed three people, including a prominent tribal chief, in the busy Rustam Bazaar area of Wana on Monday morning. Malik Tariq Wazir, the influential chief of the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe, was traveling in his vehicle when the hidden explosives were detonated. The targeted attack also left four others injured, dealing another heavy blow to the traditional tribal leadership structure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s volatile border regions.
وانا :جنوبی وزیرستان لوئر کے رستم بازار وانا میں دھماکے میں چیف آف احمد زئی وزیر ملک طارق خان وزیر سمیت تین افراد کی شہیادت۔
ان للہ وانا الیہ راجعون۔
اللہ شہداء کو جنت الفردوس میں اعلی مقام عطا فرمائے آمین۔
اس دہشت گردی کی مذمت کرتا ہوں، احمد زئی وزیر قبیلے کیساتھ تعزیت کرتا… pic.twitter.com/DzXxWf0kkb— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan | سینیٹر مشتاق احمد خان (@SenatorMushtaq) May 18, 2026
Quick Facts
- Ahmadzai Wazir tribal chief Malik Tariq Wazir and two others were killed in an IED blast.
- The explosion occurred on Monday morning near Gulshan Plaza in Wana’s main market.
- Four people were injured, with two currently in critical condition at the local hospital.
- Militants are suspected of planting the explosives under the cover of darkness.
- The targeted chief had previously survived a high-profile kidnapping in December 2024.
- The attack follows a string of assassinations targeting regional peace-making tribal elders.
According to District Police Officer (DPO) Mohammad Tahir Shah Wazir, the remote-controlled bomb was likely planted near the marketplace overnight and triggered just as the tribal leader’s vehicle passed by. The blast caused immediate panic, forcing local shopkeepers to shut down the market as security forces rushed to cordon off the area and launch a search operation. Doctors at the Wana District Headquarters Hospital confirmed that two of the wounded remain in critical condition.
Malik Tariq Wazir was a highly respected figure in Lower South Waziristan, known for leading local peace jirgas and settling deep-rooted tribal disputes. His death highlights the growing dangers faced by local elders who cooperate with the state to maintain regional order. Former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan strongly condemned the bombing, publicly urging the provincial government and security agencies to fulfill their duties to protect citizens as militant groups continue to systematically target traditional leaders across the tribal districts.
