PAKISTAN: 22 dead in violence in northwestern Pakistan

Record ID: 353277

  • Title: PAKISTAN: 22 dead in violence in northwestern Pakistan
  • Date: 5th August 2007
  • Summary: EXTERIOR OF AGENCY HEADQUARTERS HOSPITAL, PARACHINAR
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5B0VMFY4G6F8JVB5JR15WQ1GJ
  • Story Text: A suicide car bomber kills eight and injures 37 people in the Kurram tribal region, bringing the death toll from Saturday's violence to 22.
    At least 22 people were killed on Saturday (August 4) in spiralling violence in northwestern Pakistan, as international concern grew over the deteriorating security situation and the al Qaeda threat along the Afghan border.
    In the Kurram tribal region, a suicide car bomber crashed into another car on a road through a bazaar in the main town of Parachinar, killing eight people.
    Paramilitary soldier Subedar Said Hasan said he was on duty at the time.
    "A car came and rammed into a Suzuki car and there was an explosion," he said. "We took the injured to hospital. Five people were dead."
    Dr Hanif Jan, medical superintendent at Agency Headquarters Hospital in Parachinar, said the death toll had reached eight and another 37 people were being treated for blast wounds. Two of the wounded were in a critical condition.
    An injured man, Tahir Hussain, said it all happened very quickly.
    "Suddenly there was smoke and a very loud explosion. After that I don't know what happened," he said.
    Earlier, in a pre-dawn attack on Saturday, militants bombarded a checkpoint in the Dosali area, some 40 km (25 miles) south of Miranshah, North Waziristan's main town. The Pakistan army says the militants launched about 50 rockets and then attacked on the ground.
    Four security forces were killed and four wounded. Ten militants were also reported killed.
    Sayyed Khayal Hassan, a local retired soldier, demanded action from the Pakistan government to do something about the problem.
    "If it cannot do anything, then the local people will take action themselves. The locals are not feeble," he said.
    North Waziristan is regarded as a hotbed of al Qaeda and Taliban support, and the United States is expecting the Pakistani military to strike at select targets after militants abandoned a peace pact in the semi-autonomous tribal region last month.
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