At Least 18 Killed in Pakistan Bus Attack
14:07 28/02/2012 MOSCOW, February 28 (RIA Novosti) - At least 18 people were killed and seven injured when gunmen ambushed a passenger bus in Pakistan’s northeastern district of Kohistan on Tuesday, the Pak Tribune news service said.
The attack on the intercity bus, carrying at least 25 passengers, took place 208 km (130 miles) north of the capital Islamabad.
"Armed men hiding on both sides of the road attacked the bus," local police chief Mohammad Ilyas said. "Initial reports said 18 people have died and seven wounded."
Police said the motive was unclear. Islamist militants are not active in the area, although sectarian violence - and common banditry - are frequent. All the victims were Shia Muslims.
The Dawn newspaper cited survivors as saying the bus was stopped, the passengers were ordered off and their documents checked, after which the attackers shot them.
The paper said the attack was presumably carried out by “sectarian gunmen” in revenge for the murder of two Sunni Muslims a few days ago.
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