Bomb kills 7 during tribal elders’ meeting in Pakistan’s remote northwest

Bomb kills 7 at tribal elders’ meeting in Pakistan

PARACHINAR, Pakistan — A bomb has exploded inside a school during a meeting of elders in a remote tribal region in northwest Pakistan killing seven tribesmen including a teacher.

Top local official Khalid Umerzai said the elders at the meeting were discussing a disagreement over ownership of the school building.

It wasn’t clear if Monday’s attack in the Kurram tribal region was tied to that dispute or if it had been launched by Islamist militants.

The army has carried out a months-long operation in Kurram, pounding militant hideouts with jets and helicopter gunships.

Local government official Noor Ahmed said there were still pockets of militants operating in the area and they may have set off the bomb.

Ahmed said seven people were killed.

AP Writer Riaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this report.