Tweet
16 injured as bomber rams explosives-laden car into police station
* Taliban claim responsibility
PESHAWAR: Eighteen people were killed and 16 were wounded when a suicide bomber ploughed his explosives-laden car into a police station in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, officials said.
The bomber’s car struck the Miryan police station on the outskirts of the town of Bannu and badly damaged a nearby mosque.
“We have received 18 dead bodies and 16 injured,” said Muhammad Rahim, a doctor in Bannu’s main hospital. District police chief Mohammad Iftikhar said that most of those wounded were police officers and paramilitary personnel.
“The target was the police station and the nearby mosque. Police and paramilitary personnel were praying inside the mosque,” when the bombing took place, he said.
“There are some civilians also but most of the victims are security personnel,” he added. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani “strongly condemned” the attack, calling it “a cowardly act of terrorism,” a statement from his office said.
The attack was immediately claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, who said it was to avenge US drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal belt, which borders Afghanistan.
“We claim responsibility for this attack. We will continue such attacks unless the drone attacks are stopped,” Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq said, speaking from an undisclosed location.
The bombing followed a missile strike by an unmanned aircraft on a terrorist compound in the North Waziristan region on Wednesday, which killed five rebels, security officials said.
The US does not officially confirm the controversial drone attacks, which take place with Islamabad’s tacit approval and which US officials say have severely weakened al Qaeda’s leadership.
The suicide attack came as US Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Pakistan and delivered a bold message of support for Washington’s key anti-terror ally, telling the country that America is “not the enemy of Islam”.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...3-1-2011_pg1_3
* Taliban claim responsibility
PESHAWAR: Eighteen people were killed and 16 were wounded when a suicide bomber ploughed his explosives-laden car into a police station in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, officials said.
The bomber’s car struck the Miryan police station on the outskirts of the town of Bannu and badly damaged a nearby mosque.
“We have received 18 dead bodies and 16 injured,” said Muhammad Rahim, a doctor in Bannu’s main hospital. District police chief Mohammad Iftikhar said that most of those wounded were police officers and paramilitary personnel.
“The target was the police station and the nearby mosque. Police and paramilitary personnel were praying inside the mosque,” when the bombing took place, he said.
“There are some civilians also but most of the victims are security personnel,” he added. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani “strongly condemned” the attack, calling it “a cowardly act of terrorism,” a statement from his office said.
The attack was immediately claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, who said it was to avenge US drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal belt, which borders Afghanistan.
“We claim responsibility for this attack. We will continue such attacks unless the drone attacks are stopped,” Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq said, speaking from an undisclosed location.
The bombing followed a missile strike by an unmanned aircraft on a terrorist compound in the North Waziristan region on Wednesday, which killed five rebels, security officials said.
The US does not officially confirm the controversial drone attacks, which take place with Islamabad’s tacit approval and which US officials say have severely weakened al Qaeda’s leadership.
The suicide attack came as US Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Pakistan and delivered a bold message of support for Washington’s key anti-terror ally, telling the country that America is “not the enemy of Islam”.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...3-1-2011_pg1_3
