KHAR: The local administration deployed additional personnel of Bajaur Levies at several posts in the border areas of Nawagal tehsil after a man was killed in the area in a cross-border attack.

An official of the administration said that more volunteers of the local peace committee werealso deployed in the area to prevent such attacks in the region.

Meanwhile, the tribal elders and members of peace committees held a jirga in Nawagai tehsil and strongly condemned the cross-border attacks and vowed to retaliate in case those were not stopped.

A tribesman was killed when militants in Afghanistan fired mortar shells at the border area of Nawagai tehsil in Bajaur Agency.

The officials said that militants fired several mortar shells from Afghanistan`s Kunar province at Hassam Charmang area of Nawagal tehsil, located some 42 kilometres from Khar. They said that one mortar shell hit a houseand as a result a tribesman identifled as Taj Mohammad was killed on the spot.

The tribal elders expressed concern over growing cross-border attacks and threatened to storm the hideouts of militants inside Afghanistan if the attacks were not stopped.

The jirga, attended by tribal elders and senior officials of the local administration, discussed issues related to the law and order situation and cross-border attacks.

The tribal elders condemned the cross-border attacks and urged the Afghan government to take notice of the situation and stop movement of militants, living in Kunar province of Afghanistan.The elders said that they would target their enemies inside Afghanistan if the cross-border attacks remained continued in future.

`We request to the Afghan government to address the issue on priority basis and take practical steps to stop cross-border attacks in our region otherwise we will target the attackers inside Afghanistan,` they added.

They said that tribesmen were united and alert to thwart crossborder attacks in their areas. No one would be allowed to intrude on the region, the elders said.

`We have the sprit and courage to fight against our enemies as we had always defeated militantswhenever they attacked our soil, they said.

Addressing the jirga, Assistant Political Agent Sohail Ahmed Khan lauded the efforts of tribal elders for maintaining write of the government in the borders areas of the region.

He urged the elders to keep watch on activities of militants in the region and speed up their efforts for preventing cross-border attacks.

The jirga decided to set up more posts in the border areas. It also decided to deploy additional volunteers of the village defence committees at posts in the border areas to prevent cross-border attacks.