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At least 22 killed and another 20 wounded as bomber blows himself up at funeral of tribal elder.
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2011 07:37 GMT
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A suicide bomber has attacked a funeral procession in Matani, 20km west of the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least 22 people and injuring at least 20 others, a government official said.
Siraj Ahmed, Peshawar's top administrator, told the Reuters news agency that Wednesday's attack targeted the funeral for the relative of a pro-government, ethnic Pashtun tribal elder.
The attacker mingled with the mourners before setting off his explosives, Ahmed said.
Taliban fighters have claimed responsibility for the attack.
Tribal peace committees
Like in other parts of the northwest, Matani is home to several tribal armies that fight against the Taliban and get some government support.
Taliban fighters have often targeted members of these tribal peace committees.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Zahir Shah, bureau chief of Pakitsan's Dawn News, said that "most of those who got killed appear to be members of the peace committe.
"The injured have been rushed to a hospital in Peshawar."
The attack came a day after a car-bomb went off at at a natural gas filling station in the central city of Faisalabad killing 25 people and wounding about 125 others.
Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder reported that the "tribal peace committee is a voluntary force that has been battling the Pakistani Taliban".
"There was a lull over the past few months but we have seen an escalation in attacks which is perhaps indicative of the fact that the Pakistani Taliban have regrouped."
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2011 07:37 GMT
Email Article
Print Article
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A suicide bomber has attacked a funeral procession in Matani, 20km west of the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least 22 people and injuring at least 20 others, a government official said.
Siraj Ahmed, Peshawar's top administrator, told the Reuters news agency that Wednesday's attack targeted the funeral for the relative of a pro-government, ethnic Pashtun tribal elder.
The attacker mingled with the mourners before setting off his explosives, Ahmed said.
Taliban fighters have claimed responsibility for the attack.
Tribal peace committees
Like in other parts of the northwest, Matani is home to several tribal armies that fight against the Taliban and get some government support.
Taliban fighters have often targeted members of these tribal peace committees.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Zahir Shah, bureau chief of Pakitsan's Dawn News, said that "most of those who got killed appear to be members of the peace committe.
"The injured have been rushed to a hospital in Peshawar."
The attack came a day after a car-bomb went off at at a natural gas filling station in the central city of Faisalabad killing 25 people and wounding about 125 others.
Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder reported that the "tribal peace committee is a voluntary force that has been battling the Pakistani Taliban".
"There was a lull over the past few months but we have seen an escalation in attacks which is perhaps indicative of the fact that the Pakistani Taliban have regrouped."
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