Pakistan Taliban claims responsibility for Bannu attack

The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for suicide attack on Mandan police station on Saturday morning in northwest Pakistan’s Bannu district

Pakistani police secure the site after a suicide blast in the Mandan area on the outskirts of Bannu town. A suspected car bomb killed six people and wounded more than 10 others on a road leading to the main army cantonment in Pakistan’s northwest city of Peshawar on Saturday, police said. (Xinhua/AFP photo)

According to police, a suicide attacker blew the explosion-laden truck in front of Mandan police station, some eight kilometers away from Bannu city, causing severe damage to police station, a mosque, several houses and over 20 shops. The blast has carved eight-foot deep pit on the attack site.

Two children, two detainees and two policemen died in the explosion, while 65 others sustained injuries, including 30 policemen and 35 civilians, mainly school-going children.

The injured have been moved to District Headquarter Hospital Bannu. A state of emergency has been declared in all city hospitals and roads leading to hospital have been closed for public.

The police said that the vehicle used in the suicide blast had been loaded with over 320 kg of explosives. The head and legs of the suicide bomber have been found from the spot, who was a 14-15-year-old.

Police also took a suspect into custody near Mandan police station who is said to be an Afghan national.

Rescue work and removal of wreckage is underway on the scene.

Meanwhile, TTP spokesman Qari Hussain has accepted the claim of the suicide attack.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

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