Mysterious barber murders: 6 barbers in 1 day

This region, located on the border with Afghanistan, has historically been a significant location for Taliban militants from Afghanistan, Central Asia, and China with ties to Al-Qaeda. The region has witnessed an increase in violent incidents in recent years. 

No party has claimed responsibility for the incident, but unlike the Afghan Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban group has previously killed barbers who performed beard shaves. 

This event comes a few days after the burning of parts of a girls' school in the same region, an act previously carried out by the Taliban.

CLAIMS THEY WERE KILLED FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH TALIBAN BANS

Local police officials stated that the Pakistani Taliban has been preventing local barbers from performing beard shaves for some time. 

Stating that the murders might be linked to this ban, officials said, "We are currently investigating whether the murdered barbers were performing beard shaves at their shops in the Mir Ali area." All of the deceased barbers had shops in the bazaars of the city of Mir Ali in North Waziristan.

After the Taliban seized Kabul in 2021, the Pakistani Taliban movement began to advance on Pakistani soil. Since then, kidnappings, targeted killings, suicide attacks, and extortion have become commonplace in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border regions.

Police stated that they are not certain whether the Pakistani Taliban is behind the killing of the barbers.

A few days before the murder of the barbers in North Waziristan, the region witnessed the killing of workers in the city of Mir Ali. After the bodies of the murdered barbers were found, the North Waziristan region has been gripped by fear.

News Source: 12punto