PESHAWAR – At least nine people were killed and more than 20 injured in a suicide bomb attack at Munda Bazaar, a border town of Lower Dir district on Monday. The deceased included two leading tribal elders from Bajaur Agency – Malik Akbar Khan and Malik Karim Khan – who had played a key role in the formation and organisation of traditional peace lashkars against militants.
The two tribal elders appeared to be the targets of the bombing. District Police Officer Salim Marwat said the suicide bomber blew himself up close to a bus stand where a large number of people were present. He said that five people died on the spot, while four others expired at a hospital. A large number of vehicles in the area were also damaged.
Police officials said around eight kilogrammes of explosives were used in the attack. Soon after the explosion, police and civilians rushed to the area and moved the injured and the dead to District Headquarter Hospital, Timergara.Officials said 19 injured people had been admitted to the Timergara hospital, while four were being treated at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar.
Munda Police SHO Feroz Khan said a search operation had been launched after the attack and police had arrested five suspects. At least 50 people were killed and more than 70 injured when two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the shrine of Sakhi Sarwar in Dera Ghazi Khan a day before.
