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Police killed in Pakistan blast Police killed in Pakistan blast
(10 minutes later)
At least eight policemen have been killed and more than 20 people injured in a suicide bomb attack in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, officials say.At least eight policemen have been killed and more than 20 people injured in a suicide bomb attack in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, officials say.
The blast occurred in front of a police station near the city's Melody Market.The blast occurred in front of a police station near the city's Melody Market.
It came on the first anniversary of the bloody ending of a siege at the city's Red Mosque, in which more than 100 people were killed during fighting.It came on the first anniversary of the bloody ending of a siege at the city's Red Mosque, in which more than 100 people were killed during fighting.
The mosque was stormed by Pakistani troops to evict militants who had taken sanctuary within its complex.The mosque was stormed by Pakistani troops to evict militants who had taken sanctuary within its complex.
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Chaos in the aftermath of the bomb blast
There are conflicting reports regarding the death toll, with some officials saying as many as 10 policemen may have been killed in the blast.There are conflicting reports regarding the death toll, with some officials saying as many as 10 policemen may have been killed in the blast.
President Pervez Musharraf condemned the blast and reiterated the government's commitment to root out terrorism in "all its forms and manifestations". President Pervez Musharraf condemned the attack and reiterated the government's commitment to root out terrorism in "all its forms and manifestations".
Police on alertPolice on alert
Police had been deployed at a rally near the mosque, which is also known as Lal Masjid, where several thousand Islamists had gathered to mark the anniversary. Advertisement
Islamabad's Red Mosque class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7492297.stm">In pictures: Islamabad attack class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7492283.stm">Profile: Red Mosque Chaos in the aftermath of the bomb blast
Security had been tight because of fears of an attack at a rally near the mosque, which is also known as Lal Masjid, where several thousand Islamists had gathered to mark the anniversary.
"The blast happened 15 minutes after the meeting dispersed. A heavy contingent of police was at a main crossing several hundred metres from the mosque and they were targeted in the attack," a senior security official told the AFP news agency."The blast happened 15 minutes after the meeting dispersed. A heavy contingent of police was at a main crossing several hundred metres from the mosque and they were targeted in the attack," a senior security official told the AFP news agency.
Blood and body parts covered the streets of this residential neighbourhood as terrified people came running out of their houses, says the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad.Blood and body parts covered the streets of this residential neighbourhood as terrified people came running out of their houses, says the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad.
The rally itself was peaceful, but security had been tight because of fears of an attack, our correspondent adds. A year ago, Pakistani army commandos stormed the mosque, which had been taken over by pro-Taleban clerics.
The bloody ending of the mosque's siege triggered a wave of revenge bombings by Islamist militants. Islamabad's Red Mosque class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7492297.stm">In pictures: Islamabad attack class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7492283.stm">Profile: Red Mosque Islamist militants responded with a wave of suicide bombings around the country that killed around 1,000 people.
The anniversary demonstration itself was peaceful, but the rhetoric was fiery, with calls for revenge and Muslim holy war.
No organisation has admitted carrying out the attack, but local media reports said the tone of the rally grew more heated after the arrival of banned militant groups suspected of being allied to or inspired by al-Qaeda, our correspondent adds.
Last year, al-Qaeda leaders had called on Pakistani Muslims to avenge the raid.
The bombing comes after a period of relative calm, with the country's newly elected government adopting a strategy of political negotiations and development to try and end Islamic militancy.


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