PESHAWAR: One person was killed and several wounded when hundreds of people displaced due to fighting between militants and Pakistani security forces in a tribal area bordering Afghanistan clashed with police yesterday, officials said.
Around 2,000 people chanting slogans against “poor facilities” streamed out of their camp near the northwestern town of Nowshera and blocked traffic on the main road, local police officer Rashid Khan said.
The Jalozai camp shelters around 6,000 families, or more than 30,000 people, displaced from Bajaur since the military launched an operation to purge the area of Taleban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants, officials said.
“The protesters pelted stones and also opened fire on police,” Khan said, adding police fired tear gas and opened fire into the air to disperse the mob.
The casualties were caused when “demonstrators opened fire” on police, Khan and Refugee Commissioner Shah Rukh said. One person was killed and seven injured, including two policemen, Khan said.
Shah Rukh confirmed that one person died, but said three were injured. The protesters also briefly held three policemen hostage and set 30 shops on fire, officials said.
Clashes between policemen and rioters continued for three hours. Peshawar's police chief Marwat said 14 rioters were arrested.
The crowd was demonstrating against poor amenities in the camp and demanding compensation for property lost in the military operation, officials said.
Hundreds of people have been killed in a six-month battle between Pakistan's military and militants in Bajaur, seen as pivotal to the country's fight against Al-Qaeda and the Taleban.
— With input from agencies
