A suicide bomber attacked a vehicle carrying tribal police near Pakistan’s volatile border with Afghanistan, killing 17 people including 10 policemen, a local government official said today.
The bomber was able to get inside the police vehicle before detonating his explosives in the Khyber tribal area, said local tribesman Izzakhana Afridi, who witnessed the bombing.
“I saw him running and jumping into the Khasadar vehicle and then an explosion pushed me down to the ground some 50 yards away,” said Mr Afridi, using the official name of the tribal police.
Rasheed Khan, a local government official, said the blast killed 10 policemen, six civilians and one paramilitary officer.
Police official Ibrahim Khan, who survived the explosion because he was outside the vehicle, said the blast also injured about 12 civilians.
“I was about 30 yards away when a huge explosion occurred and I fell on the ground,” said Mr Khan. “I looked back and found our vehicle destroyed.” No group has yet said it was behind the attack, but Taliban militants often target Pakistani security forces.
PA