Roadside explosion: Motorcycle bomb injures eight in Bannu

Three policemen among the injured; attack said to be a response to recent arrests in Frontier Region Bannu.


Our Correspondent May 16, 2014
Around five kilogrammes of homemade explosives had been planted beneath the seat of the motorcycle and detonated through a remote control. PHOTO: ONLINE

BANNU:


At least eight people,including three policemen were injured, when a bomb strapped on to a motorcycle exploded in Bannu late Friday morning.


DSP Headquarters Sanaullah Khan told The Express Tribune the incident occurred at around 11:30am. He said a van of the city police was patrolling on Railway Road and when it reached the main square, Mandan Chowk, one of the policemen spotted a motorbike suspiciously parked in a corner.

DSP Khan said they went to check up on the motorcycle and just then the bomb went off, leaving eight people injured.

Khan said the injured include Additional SHO City police Amin Khan Marwat, constable Azizullah, constable Razad Khan, levies force official Lance Naik Ibrahim, Anwar Shah, Irshad Khan, Khalid Farooq and Muhammad Zahoor.

Muhammad Zahir, an eye witness and son of injured Muhammad Zahoor, said he was with his father when a huge explosion occurred near them. Zahir said he saw his father being thrust into the air and then fall to the ground unconscious and covered in blood, while he himself narrowly escaped.

In charge of the bomb disposal unit, Qismat Khan said they rushed to the spot along with heavy contingents of police soon after the incident and cordoned off the area. They also launched a search operation to nab the culprits. Qismat said around five kilogrammes of homemade explosives had been planted beneath the seat of the motorcycle and detonated through a remote control. He added ball bearings were also packed into the explosive device.

Initial investigation revealed the unidentified militants had parked the motorcycle in front of levies official Sher Akbar Khan, presuming the blast was a reaction to the arrest of multiple suspects in the ongoing search operation in Frontier Region (FR) Bannu since the last three days.

Police have registered a case and started further investigation.

This is not the first time law enforcers have been targeted in Bannu this year. On January 19, over 25 security personnel were killed and over 30 others were injured when a bomb ripped through a van in Bannu cantonment area.

“The explosion took place in a civil Hiace van inside Bannu Parade Ground at 8:45 am,” a senior military official had told The Express Tribune. The blast occurred just as Frontier Corps (FC) troops had stepped into the van ahead of their departure.

“The K-P paramilitary unit had rented a vehicle from the market for movement of its troops,” he added. The vehicle was supposed to carry the soldiers to Razmak in North Waziristan Agency.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2014.

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