Suicide blast in Bajaur kills 8, injures 10

One of the injured confirms that a boy aged 16-17 years had approached them and exploded himself.

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber killed eight people and injured ten in a market in the Salarzai area of Bajaur agency.

Express 24/7 correspondent, Iftikhar Firdous reported that the blast took place in Peshat Bazaar. One of the injured, Malik Sardar, said that a 16 to 17 year old boy had approached him and his uncle, Malik Tehsil Khan, and exploded himself. Tehsil Khan, who had formed a lashkar to fight militants in the area, died as a result of the blast.

A hotel and ten shops were destroyed as a result of the blast.

Local sources confirmed that there had been a huge explosion and there might be more casualties.

Emergency has been declared at the local hospitals.

A curfew has been imposed in the area. Security forces have cordoned off the area and a rescue operation is underway.

There has been a tribal backlash against those who have been fighting militancy in the area.

On April 24, at least five people, including the chief of a tribal militia and his three colleagues, were killed in a suicide attack in the Bajaur tribal region.

In December 2010, a burqa-clad suicide bomber had killed 47 people and injured over 100 in an attack on a World Food Programme (WFP) ration distribution point in the Bajaur tribal agency. It was the worst attack in Bajaur Agency since security forces claimed victory against Taliban insurgents in March last year.