10 killed in Darra suicide attack

Posted in Dawn

May 12, 2009

KOHAT: A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle near an FC checkpost in the outskirts of Darra Adamkhel on Monday, killing eight civilians and two security personnel and injuring 27 other people.

A passenger van going to Peshawar from Kohat bore the brunt of the attack, coming between the FC checkpost and the suicide bomber’s pick-up at the time of the attack. The injured, 14 FC personnel and 13 passengers of the van, were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital and Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.

Security personnel cordoned off the area and stopped traffic on the Indus Highway. The highway was re-opened after about two hours. The bomb disposal squad, intelligence teams and military officers reached the place and supervised rescue operation.

A number of trucks and lorries were also damaged in the attack. Investigation teams collected evidence to determine the type and quantity of the explosives used in the attack, parts of the vehicle and remains of the bomber.

Sources said that intelligence agencies had reports that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud’s commander in Orakzai Agency, Hakeemullah Mehsud, had sent his bombers to Kohat last month to attack sensitive installations and one of them hit an army convoy in Hangu, killing 21 security personnel and two civilians.

The sources also said that there were reports that a suicide bomber had entered Kohat to attack security installations, but the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan targeted the FC checkpost. Security has been tightened across Kohat and law-enforcement agencies have erected walls around headquarters of the IXth division in famous Durrani Fort and fortified all checkposts.

Meanwhile, several people were injured when a rocket fired by militants from Darra Adamkhel exploded near Afghan refugee camp in Kohat.