The attack came a day after militants seized 15 soldiers in a daredevil attack on a paramilitary fort in the nearby Tank district.
“A suicide bomber drove his four-wheeler, packed with explosives, into a camp of paramilitary Tochi Scouts on Kohat Road,” local police officer Shahid Wazir told The Express Tribune. “The bomber struck on the back side of the building, bringing down most part of the structure,” he added.
The camp serves as a stopover for paramilitary troops in their risky drive to the restive tribal region of North Waziristan, Wazir said.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the explosive-laden vehicle was driven from the tribal belt to the site of the attack, he added.
“The double-cabin vehicle used in the pre-dawn attack was packed with 500 kilos of explosives,” an official of the Bomb Disposal Unit told The Express Tribune.
Following the blast, security forces mounted a manhunt in the region and detained at least 13 suspects for questioning, sources said.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. The group’s spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan phoned journalists in Peshawar to claim responsibility. He warned that more such attacks would be carried out by TTP fighters.
Sources said that pamphlets were also distributed in Bannu and neighbouring areas warning shopkeepers selling music CDs and movies to shut down their businesses because “the era of the Taliban will soon return”.
Saturday’s deadly bombing came a day after hundreds of armed militants mounted a brazen attack on a paramilitary fort in the Mullazai area of Tank district. In that attack, one soldier was killed and 15 were kidnapped by the attackers.
The violence broke out amidst media reports claiming schisms among the Taliban ranks over negotiating with the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2011.
COMMENTS (15)
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:@ Faraz, No they wont because they ain't martyred by NATO, they are killed by Taliban.
So much for the logic posed by some that the militants will suddenly support Pakistan as soon as Pakistan stops supporting NATO.
Interesting on how terrorist attacks spike everytime US-Pak relations deteriorate.
The last time, after the OBL raid, there were multiple and large cross-border attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan in the North-West. Locals reported (according to reports in the Express Tribune) that they saw NATO aircraft providing cover for the Taliban attacks.
Now we have had two major attacks after the Pakistan Army rejected the US investigation into the attack on Pakistani soldiers.
TTP days are numbered
........and still we do nothing about the Madrassas and their sponsors.
Unless the army chiefs realize that militant groups have to be crushed once and for all, there is no hope left for Pakistan. For every terrorist who fights the Americans or Indians, 10 are fighting Pakistanis. Is this acceptable?
Our beloved brothers have sent a reminder to all the day dreamers
Suicide blasts have reduced due to military operation in South Waziristan, Orakzai and Kurram agency. TTP has been pushed into Afghanistan or confined to North Waziristan. TTP chief of suicide operations, the dreaded Qari Hussain Mehsud, was killed in drone strike; that did help
@bangash: there were suicide attacks when drones were still bombing "suspected militants". so your argument is baseless
Are sure it was not some NATO troops?
No drones = more suicide attacks.
Pakistani soldiers continue to give sacrifices for an ungrateful nation.
Will TV channels play 'watan ke sajeelay jawano' for these martyrs?