Pakistani authorities in a tribal region on Wednesday found headless bodies of two Afghan refugees with notes saying they were spying for the US-backed government in neighbouring Afghanistan and a BBC's correspondent's brother was murdered in an other incidence.
The bodies were dumped at separate places near Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan tribal district. The notes, written in Pashtu, said: "This is the fate of those who are spying for the government of (Afghan President) Hamid Karzai," a local official said. The two were identified in the notes as Haq Nawaz and Noor Wali, both living in North Waziristan, the official said.
Three days ago another Afghan refugee was found shot dead with a similar note on his body just outside Miranshah, he said. Separately a 14-year old boy was murdered by unknown people in Karhi Kot village of neighbouring South Waziristan tribal district, officials said. The teenager was the younger brother of local BBC correspondent Dilawar Khan Wazir, who moved out of the area to neighbouring Dear Ismail Khan town after an attempt on his life.
Wazir told AFP he had no dispute with anyone in the area and was unsure who could be behind the death of his brother, who was found unconscious with a broken neck close to the house Wednesday. He was taken to the hospital in Wana but died on the way, his brother said. Several tribesmen have been shot dead or beheaded this year for allegedly spying for US-led forces in Afghanistan or supporting Pakistan's campaign against al Qaeda and other militants in the rugged region.