Bomb Blast Kills 15 In NW Pakistan

Islamabad, Oct 14, IRNA – At least 15 people were killed and 25 other injured in a powerful bomb blast in Pakistan’s North Western tribal area on Saturday, police said. The explosion took place in Darra Adam Khel’s Janan market, the main town in Khyber Agency. Being the main market of the area, it was crowded when the bomb blast took place. The blast targeted the main office of the region’s anti-Taliban peace committee. At least 20 shops were destroyed as a result of the explosion and the injured had been shifted to hospitals in other areas of Kohat and in Peshawar for treatment. Police had cordoned off the area and started a search operation. No group has yet claimed responsibility of the blast. Seven bodies and 25 injured had been brought to Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital, the hospital’s MS Raheem Jan Afridi said. Whereas, eight bodies had been taken to the Darra Adam Khel Hospital, MS Alif Khan Afridi said. President Asif Asli Zardari has strongly condemned the blast. Darra Adam Khel is very famous for arms manufacturing and it was Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) stronghold. Darra Adam Khel’s TTP chapter was headed by Tariq Afridi who had been reportedly killed by his relative./end