Taliban, tribesmen in Pak vow to avenge Osama's killing

Some 500 Taliban militants and members of the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe yesterday staged a protest in Wana, the main town in South Waziristan tribal agency, that was organised by Nazir.

They condemned the killing of bin Laden and vowed to avenge the al-Qaeda chief's death.
Many protesters carried banners and placards with slogans against the US and described bin Laden as a "martyr of Islam."

This was the first protest organised by the Taliban in the tribal belt since bin Laden was gunned down in the US raid on a compound near the Pakistan Military Academy in the garrison city of Abbottabad on May 2.

The protesters shouted slogans against Pakistan and the US and forced the main market in Wana to close, local residents said.

The tribesmen were followers of bin Laden and would sacrifice their lives to fulfil the mission of the al-Qaeda leader, pro-Taliban clerics told the gathering.

The protesters said it was beyond their comprehension that Pakistani security forces were unaware of the US raid.

They accused Pakistan government of serving US interests by killing Pakistanis in the name of the war on terror.

The US has often described Waziristan as a safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda elements.

Most US drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal belt have struck targets in North and South Waziristan.