Suicide bombers kill 5 at political office in Peshawar

Five people were killed, seven seriously wounded when two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the complex.

PESHAWAR: Suicide bombers attacked the offices of a top official in Peshawar on Monday, killing five people in the latest high-profile attack as the country prepares to hold elections.

Mutahir Zeb, the government's representative in the semi-autonomous tribal district of Khyber, escaped unhurt but his deputy was wounded in the attack on the sprawling compound.

There was no claim of responsibility.

Five people were killed and seven others seriously wounded when two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the complex, which contains Zeb's office, cells where police detain suspected militants and residential quarters, officials said.

"There were two suicide bombers. One blew himself up at the gate and the other inside the control room of the main office," said Peshawar bomb disposal chief Shafqat Malik.

"They were carrying up to eight kilos of explosives. Security officials have cleared the main office and a search is still going on in the residential area," Malik added. Witnesses had said there were three attackers who were wearing Levies uniforms.

Zeb's deputy, Khalid Mumtaz Kundi, who had been visiting from Khyber was wounded and evacuated to a military hospital, officials said.

Jamal Shah, spokesman for Lady Reading Hospital, said seven people had been admitted with serious injuries.

He said four security officials and a civilian aged around 60 were killed.

Some officials suggested the militants staged the attack to free detainees and unconfirmed reports indicated that some prisoners may have escaped.

Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, local leader in the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said he heard heavy gunfire.

"We were inside the office when we heard gun shots. Suddenly firing started and then they hurled some grenades," Afridi told AFP.

"Then there was intense exchange of firing between the militants and the security forces. Later, security forces evacuated us from the building. While leaving, I saw two dead bodies and blood everywhere," he added.

“We were holding a meeting and some others were joining us when firing started inside the political compound, and then there was a heavy blast, and again heavy firing began,” said tribal politician Niaz Ahmad Khan.

"We were told by the officials to take shelter inside the office as the terrorists had attacked the political compound.”

He said he saw two bodies and some injured people lying on the ground inside the compound.

Security forces conducted a search operation in the buildings and evacuated them after the firing stopped. Forensic evidence was also collected from the site.