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Suicide Attack Kills at Least 65 in Pakistani Tribal Village

   VOA News 09 July 2010
   People  carry  injured  person  from  spot  of bombing in Yakaghund in
   Pakistani tribal area of Mohmand on 9 July 2010

Photo: AP

   An  njured  person  is taken away from the site the suicide bombing in
   Pakistan's tribal region of Mohmand, 9 July 2010

   Pakistani  officials  say twin blasts outside a government office have
   killed  at least 65 people in the country's northwestern tribal region
   near the Afghan border.

   Police  say  a  suicide bomber on a motorbike struck as Rasool Khan, a
   government  official,  was meeting with a local peace committee in the
   Yakaghund village of the Mohmand tribal region Friday.  The blast was
   followed  by  a  suspected  car bomb explosion.  The official was not
   hurt.

   However,  there are conflicting reports from the scene. Some witnesses
   are reported as saying a single bomber carried out the attack.
   The  early  morning attack wounded more than 100 people and took place
   as officials nearby were distributing wheelchairs and other aid to the
   needy.  Officials say women and children are among the dead.Â
   Some  70  shops  were completely destroyed and rescuers were searching
   the  rubble  of  collapsed  buildings for more victims. Official say a
   local jail was also damaged, allowing 28 prisoners to escape.
   Mohmand  is  part  of Pakistan's lawless tribal belt where Taliban and
   al-Qaida  militants  are  based.  The  Pakistani  army has carried out
   operations  in  Mohmand,  but  it has been unable to clear the area of
   militants.  Last year, the military conducted a high profile campaign
   to  rid  northwestern  Swat  Valley and South Waziristan of militants,
   setting  off  a  spate  of  retaliatory  militant  bombings across the
   country.

   Pakistan  is  under  pressure  from  the United States to go after the
   insurgents,  who  also  have  carried out attacks on western forces in
   Afghanistan.  On Friday, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Giliani
   discussed  cooperation  in  the  fight  against  terrorism  with  U.S.
   Senators Carl Levin and Jack Reed in Islamabad. Â
   Mr.  Gilani  said  both  Pakistan  and  the  U.S. should try harder to
   increase  mutual  trust.   He  said  Pakistan was doing its utmost to
   combat  militancy  and  that  countries  like  the  U.S.  should share
   credible  information  with  Pakistan  rather  than engage in a "blame
   game."

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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