Four killed in twin blasts in Bajaur

Vehicle attacked on the way to a market in Chamarkand .

PESHAWAR:

At least four people, including two women, were killed while six others were injured when two blasts targeted a passenger vehicle in the Chamarkand tehsil of Bajaur on Thursday, tribal sources said.

The incident took place in the Bar Chamarkand tehsil when a pick-up vehicle carrying local tribesmen to the market was targeted using roadside bombs.

Local sources said that the two blasts followed each other in quick succession.

“The first blast hit the vehicle and a little later another blast went off when tribesmen gathered at the site to attend to the casualties,” an eyewitness said.

Sources said that the incident took place near the Pak-Afghan border and all the fatalities included civilians.

The deceased were identified as Mauala Bahdar, Gul Shireena, Malik Kashmaly Khan and his daughter. The injured were identified as Essa Khan, Khushal, Azeem and Ibrahim.

The injured were rushed to the Agency Headquarters Hospital Khar and one of the injured, in critical condition, was shifted to Peshawar for treatment.

Locals said that a lack of ambulances and medical services hampered the shifting of the injured to the hospital and locals had to arrange their own vehicles for assistance.

Security forces cordoned off the area following the blast and security arrangements were put on high alert.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd,  2011.