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Suicide bomb at Pakistan funeral | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
At least 27 people are reported to have been killed by a suicide bomber at a funeral in north-western Pakistan. | |
The funeral was for one of three policemen killed by a roadside bomb earlier on Friday. | |
Hospital officials say about 40 people were also injured in the suicide attack, in Mingora, the main town in the valley of Swat. | |
Swat has seen continued confrontations in recent months between pro-Taleban militants and the security forces. | |
Appeal for blood | |
Hundreds of mourners were attending the funeral in Mingora when the attacker struck. | |
"It was a suicide bombing, Javed Cheema, a spokesman for the interior ministry told the AFP news agency. | |
Hospital authorities dealing with the injured were reported to be appealing for blood donations. | |
The funeral was for one of three officers killed earlier in the town of Lakki Marwat in Bannu district, which borders the troubled North Waziristan tribal region. | |
The bomb exploded near their vehicle, police said. | |
The chief of police in Bannu district, Hamza Mehsud, said two others were critically wounded in the blast. | The chief of police in Bannu district, Hamza Mehsud, said two others were critically wounded in the blast. |
Hundreds of people have died in recent months in battles between the security forces and pro-Taleban militants. | Hundreds of people have died in recent months in battles between the security forces and pro-Taleban militants. |
Correspondents say the border areas of North West Frontier Province are a hotbed of militancy and a feeding ground for the Taleban and al-Qaeda, and have seen growing violence directed at Pakistani government forces. | Correspondents say the border areas of North West Frontier Province are a hotbed of militancy and a feeding ground for the Taleban and al-Qaeda, and have seen growing violence directed at Pakistani government forces. |
On Thursday, at least 12 people, including suspected militants, were killed in a missile attack on a house in the South Waziristan region. | On Thursday, at least 12 people, including suspected militants, were killed in a missile attack on a house in the South Waziristan region. |
It is not clear where the attack was launched from, but residents said they suspected it was from Afghanistan where Nato troops are fighting the Taleban. | It is not clear where the attack was launched from, but residents said they suspected it was from Afghanistan where Nato troops are fighting the Taleban. |