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Twin bombs kill 5 van passengers in NW Pakistan

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Sept 22, IRNA -- Two roadside bombs near passengers vehicles Thursday killed at least five people in Pakistan’s Bajaur tribal region, local media reported.

Geo television reported that the bombs were detonated near two passengers’ pick-up vehicles at Chamrkand area, bordering Afghanistan.

Five people died at the scene and four others were injured. The injured were shifted to a nearby medical facility.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Local authorities in the region believe that suspected Taliban may be behind the attack as they are now also targeting tribesmen for their support to the security forces.

Bajaur had been a stronghold of the Taliban militants and the security forces conducted major operations against them in 2008-2009.

Many militants were killed and expelled from the region and Pakistan army says some of their leaders, including deputy chief of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, Maulvi Faqir, has established bases in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province.

Pakistan Taliban kidnapped nearly 25 boys from Bajaur tribal region three weeks ago who had gone to the mountainous region to celebrate Muslim Eid festival.

The boys were later shifted to Afghanistan and last week they were shown to a group of Afghan journalists in Kunar province. Leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Dadullah, demanded the government to free arrested militants for the safe release of the boys.

He also asked the pro-government tribesmen to end support to the security forces and abolish their private ‘Lashkar’ or militia.

The chief army spokesman Maj. General Athar Abbas says that Pakistani Taliban have launched several attacks on border check posts in Bajaur and some other areas and killed upto 100 security men and civilians.

In another incident a would-be suicide bomber exploded his bomb while the police arrested two facilitators of the bomber in northwestern Swat valley early Thursday, security officials said.

Police imposed curfew in Mingora, the main city in Swat, after the militants attacked a check post. Both sides exchange fire, which resulted into the killing of two suspected militants.

**1432
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30576866