Bomb blasts kill five in Peshawar market
May 28th, 2009 - 8:28 pm ICT by John Le Fevre
Three people have been killed and at least 60 others injured following two bomb blasts in a market in the northern Pakistan city of Peshawar.
The back-to-back explosions took place in the crowded Qissa Khwani Bazaar, setting fire to vehicles and dozens of shops and market stalls.
Police said six people responsible for the bombs had taken refuge in a nearby building and were using a child as a human shield to hold Pakistan security forces at bay.
The blasts comes just one day after a massive suicide car bomb was detonated in front of Pakistan security agency buildings in Lahore, killing at least 24 people and injuring hundreds more.
Hakimullah Mehsud, a deputy to the Pakistani Taliban leader, Baitullah Mehsud, said the Lahore attack, in which the police headquarters, emergency services building and a military intelligence office were targeted, “was in response to the Swat operation where innocent people have been killed”.
The military launched a major offensive in the Swat valley late last month after the Taliban seized control of a neighboring district just 100km (60 miles) from the capital, Islamabad.
The government has also announced bounties for 21 Taliban leaders in north-western Pakistan.
- Drone strike didn't kill top leader: Pakistani Taliban - Jan 16, 2012
- 'Hakimullah Mehsud's death not confirmed' - Jan 15, 2010
- 15 killed in Pakistan bombings (Second lead) - Feb 12, 2010
- Seven blasts shake Lahore after two suicide bombings (Third Lead) - Mar 13, 2010
- Pak intelligence, top cops see "foreign hand" behind Lahore, Karachi suicide attacks - Jan 26, 2011
- 15 killed in US drone strike in North Waziristan - Jan 17, 2010
- Taliban confirms Hakimullah Mehsud injured (Lead) - Jan 15, 2010
- Death toll in Pakistan bombings reaches 27 - Sep 27, 2009
- Taliban unleash further terror in Pakistan - May 29, 2009
- 10 killed in Iraq bombings - Nov 25, 2011
- Pakistani Taliban leader possibly killed in U.S. drone strike - Jan 16, 2012
- Taliban claim responsibility for Lahore blast, 50 suspects held (Lead) - May 28, 2009
- Taliban expand terror campaign in Pakistan's Punjab - Dec 09, 2009
- Taliban threatens to turn its guns on India - Oct 16, 2009
- Lahore witness to five terror attacks in 2010 - Sep 02, 2010
Tags: bazaar, bomb blasts, bounties, capital islamabad, car bomb, emergency services, explosions, human shield, intelligence office, market stalls, military intelligence, northern pakistan, peshawar, police headquarters, security agency, security forces, setting fire, swat valley, taliban leader, western pakistan