Pakistan - bombing

Suicide attacks kill 41 in north-west

Article published on the 2009-10-12 Latest update 2009-10-12 13:46 TU

Policemen keep guard at a road block leading to Pakistan's army headquarters in Rawalpindi 11October, 2009.
(Photo: Reuters)

A paramilitary convoy was targeted by a suicide bomber as it passed through a busy market on Monday in the town of Alpuri in Shangla district. The attack left 41 dead and 45 injured. This comes more than six months after Pakistan began an intense military offensive to clear out the Swat valley. The army recently claimed to have flushed out Taliban rebels from the northwest of the country.

The strikes came after 23 people were killed at the weekend when militants took hostages at army headquarters near Islamabad.

A wave of suicide bombings earlier on Monday killed four security personnel.

Also on Monday Pakistani fighter jets bombed Taliban strongholds in the northwest. At least 31 suspected militants were killed, according to government and security officials. The fighter strikes occurred in the main town of Bajaur an official at Kahr confirmed.

And a security official in South Waziristan said, “we have reports that at least 19 militants were killed in both Makeen and Ladha”.

Earlier this year, the army led an offensive against the Taliban in the Swat valley.