Blast in Peshawar leaves 8 dead, 45 injured

Suicide attack on police armoured vehicle in Sarband area of Peshawar, Ahrarul Hind claims responsibility.

PESHAWAR: A blast took place in a bazaar in Peshawar on Friday leaving at least eight people dead and injuring 32 others, Express News reported.

City superintendent police, speaking to the media, stated that it was a suicide attack and the target of the attack was an armoured personnel vehicle (APV). Some policemen sustained injuries but none were killed in the attack.

The explosion took place in the Sarband area of the city near a petrol pump.

Police, Rangers personnel and rescue teams reached the area. Bomb disposal squad was also called in and a search operation is underway.

The injured were taken to a local hospital for medical assistance.

According to a police official, initial investigation has revealed that the suicide jacket carried more explosives than usual – at least 14 kilograms.

After the blast, firing could be heard for about an hour, possibly by the police to keep people away from the scene in case of a second explosion.

Ahrarul Hind claims responsibility

An increasingly active Taliban splinter group, Ahrarul Hind, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"We claim both Peshawar and Quetta attacks," their chief, Umar Qasmi, told Reuters. "We don't abide by these talks and will continue to stage attacks."

The Pakistani Taliban, who are separate from the Afghan Taliban, is a fragmented and deeply divided movement of dozens of small groups which do not always agree with each other.

The leadership of the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is keen on the talks, immediately distanced itself from the Friday attacks. "The TTP strongly condemns the Peshawar and Quetta blasts," said TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid. "We have no connection to these attacks because we are observing a ceasefire."