15 killed, several injured in Hangu suicide attack

Attack targets headquarters of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Mullah Nabi Hanfi group.


Afp/web Desk October 03, 2013
Attack targets headquarters of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Mullah Nabi Hanfi group. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

HANGU: A suicide bomber ran a vehicle full of explosives into the headquarters of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Mullah Nabi Hanafi group in the Spin Tall region of Hangu, Express News reported on Thursday. 

The blast killed 15 of the group's members and injured several others.

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

The headquarters building collapsed due to the explosion and the compound was badly destroyed.

A senior government official told AFP that clashes erupted when fighters from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked militant commander Hanafi's house.

"Militants from the Hanafi group, two attackers and a suicide bomber were killed. About 20 others along with two women have been injured," the official in Orakzai told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The attack began with a suicide bomber detonating a car bomb outside the compound, followed by militants launching an assault with guns.

TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid claimed the attack.

"Hanafi was fighting against the TTP and anyone who will fight with us will face the same fate," Shahid told AFP from an undisclosed location.

Mullah Nabi Hanfi was a commander of the Hangu chapter of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) before switching sides and joining the government’s counter-insurgency efforts.

Nabi had said earlier that his group was on TTP’s hit list since the latter wanted to seize control of Hangu, Kohat, Orakzai and parts of the Kurram Agency.

COMMENTS (19)

suicide cleaner | 11 years ago | Reply

great another suicide attack, nothing to see here folks move along.

Javed Hussain | 11 years ago | Reply

I am deeply saddened, not becuase of the notorious activities of Khwarijs, but on follies of our own very people. After fighting the terrorists for one last decade, we are still sucisptible about ownership of the war. Quite surprisingly the most popuar leader of the country belives that Taliban Kwarijs are stake holders and as such they should be alowed to set an office,for subsequent talks with the Govt. He has been frequently quoting americans doing the same with Afghan Talibans. I wish, I could ask Mr. IK to bother his mind a bit and try to understand the difference of dynamics in both the countries. As far Afghan Talibans, they are fighting against foreign occupation, so the righteousness of their cause can not be doubted, though I have certain reservations about various inhumane activites, they are involved in. What is ideology of TTP in fighting war with the state of Pakistan? Why are they killing innocent civilians? Are they going to accept constitution of Pakistan? With such ultra-extremist views, how the Govt is going to integerate them into mainstream Paksitan? Is Govt ready to accomodate them, if they come up with certain pre-conditions like asking for their imprisioned fellows to be set free or asking the military to vacate certain places of strategic significance? I am cent percent sure many of us including the stake holders have either no or vague answers to these questions. Please think wise before its too late!

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