26 killed, 57 injured in blast at Landi Kotal market

Blast affected nearby shops, including one of gas cylinders that blew up, setting shops on fire.


Web Desk June 16, 2012

LANDIKOTAL: At least 26 people were killed and 57 others injured when an enormous blast ripped through a local market in Khyber Agency on Saturday, reported Express News.

APA Landi Kotal Khalid Khan confirmed the casualties.

According to sources, the blast took place in a passenger vehicle which had 5kg explosives planted in it.

Officials said that at least two to three people were still trapped under the debris.

The blast affected nearby shops, including one of gas cylinders that blew up, setting the shop and other nearby shops on fire.

The injured were shifted to Landi Kotal Headquarters Hospital. Nine of them who were critical were shifted to a hospital in Peshawar.

Police and security forces reached the scene and cordoned off the area.

Witnesses said that children were also present during the time of the blast.

The area is a central point for Khyber Agency as people go to all parts of the agency from this place.

COMMENTS (33)

bigsaf | 11 years ago | Reply As per BBC
The bomb appeared to be aimed at members of a pro-government tribe who have formed an anti-Taliban militia. Landi Kotal is in the Khyber tribal agency, part of Pakistan's tribal north-west which has seen frequent attacks by Taliban militants...... The attack is believed to have been aimed at members of the Zakha Khel tribe, which has been targeted by militants before. No group has so far claimed the attack. However, the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for attacks here in the past - describing them as retaliation for the tribesmen's support for the government.
With loads of history and evidence in the recent 2000's in Khyber and rest of Pak, we must stop insulting the victims and the sane citizens' intelligence with selling twisted unfounded irrational biased bogeyman conspiracies and stop psychotically defending the violent Taliban and other local and foreign extremist militants with insincere and dishonest excuses.
ali islam | 11 years ago | Reply

Taleban cannot survive without creating anarchy they know it well and doing precisely what they have to do for survival. If there is peace in Pakistan what would their role be?

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