Thousands of tribal people protesting the alleged killings of four teenagers broke through a police blockade Sunday in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (North-West Frontier) of Pakistan.

The protesters were attempting to march to the capital Islamabad through the city of Bannu in order to demand a government probe into the deaths. They were carrying the bodies of the four teenagers that were discovered a week ago in a shallow grave in Janikhel, outside Bannu. The victims, Ahmadullah, Mohammad Rahim, Razamullah, and Atifullah, were between the ages of 13 and 17 years, and their bodies reportedly bore signs of torture. According to Station House Officer Umair Khan, the boys were friends and had left home a month ago for bird hunting. Local journalists report that the boys had previously been kidnapped by the militant group Tehrik-i-Taliban while on a similar hunting trip last year.

Janikhel is a tribal area along the border of Afghanistan that has borne witness to several terrorist activities by groups like the Taliban and al Qaeda. The Pakistani military has also been accused of human rights abuses against the local Janikhel tribe.

The relatives of the deceased have refused to bury the bodies until a proper investigation is started against the security officers in whose jurisdiction the incident took place. They also demand accountability in the form of a guarantee that militants will not be allowed to operate base camps in the area.

The protesters have organized a sit-in comprising cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. near a military check post in Janikhel for nearly a week now. The police had constructed hurdles on the road and deployed tear gas as well as aerial shooting to prevent the protesters from crossing the blockade and entering Bannu on Sunday.

The local leaders reached an agreement with the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday. It provides for a compensation cheque of Rs 2 million (USD $13063.36) to be distributed among the families of the victims as well as a special development package for the Janikhel area. The government has assured a transparent inquiry into the incident and will punish the culprits. It has also promised to flush out any armed militants and will work to ensure peace in the area. The protesters have ended their demonstrations for now and are returning to bury the bodies in Janikhel.