North Waziristan [Pakistan], May 4 (ANI): In yet another incident of target killing, a local tribal leader was shot dead "mysteriously" by unknown people in Pakistan's North Waziristan.

Police told The Express Tribune that in the firing incident one man was killed and another was left seriously injured.

"Malik Fazalur Rehman was present at a Hujra along with other friends. Around midnight unknown people started firing at them in which Fazal was killed on the spot and Muhammad Ibrahim was left seriously injured.

The attackers managed to escape after committing the crime. Both of them were rushed to the hospital but Fazal was already dead and the injured is in a critical condition," said a police official, adding the dead body was sent for an autopsy and police registered an FIR in the case.

The incidents of target killings have escalated in the erstwhile FATA region. Last year in November, Malak Raees Khan, a notable Pashtun tribal leader in North Waziristan, was killed.

South Waziristan and North Waziristan, which are two of the seven former semi-autonomous tribal regions in Pakistan also known as FATA, served as headquarters for local and foreign terrorists until 2017.

The army claimed it has cleared the mountainous region of terrorists following several operations to eliminate the Tehrik-i-Taliban in Pakistan (TTP), according to Al Jazeera.

Successive operations have pushed the TTP towards neighbouring Afghanistan.

Islamabad claims the group has now set up bases across the border to attack Pakistani security forces and civilians. (ANI)