DERA ISMAIL KHAN / BANNU, Jan 29: A suspected suicide bomber blew himself up near a checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan on Monday, killing two people, including a policeman. And a rocket attack on a mosque in Bannu left 13 people injured.
Monday was the third day since Friday to have brought acts of terrorism to the nation, claiming 18 lives.
On Saturday, a suicide bomber hit a police contingent in Peshawar, killing 13 people, including six police officials.
A day earlier, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel, killing himself and a security guard who stopped him from entering the hotel.
Six people, including two policemen, were also injured in the suicide attack at the police check post near D. I. Khan’s Liaquat Park.
“A man blew himself up when he was stopped by the police. One officer was killed and seven people were injured in the attack,” a senior police official said.
A civilian who was wounded later died in hospital.
According to police, the suspect wanted to enter the city and target a Muharram procession.
“He was clad in a chaddar and was in a hurry to cross the checkpoint, but when an agile policeman tried to stop him, the explosion occurred,” a policeman said.
Barely an hour after the suicide bombing, two rockets fired by unidentified attackers landed near a mosque in Bannu, leaving 15 people wounded.
“Fifteen people were wounded in the rocket attack, which apparently targeted a place of worship,” a senior police official told Dawn.
The attack highlighted the country’s predicament over the `war on terror’ as an unprecedented security blanket thrown for Muharram failed to prevent bloodshed.
SIX ARRESTED: Security officials said they had taken into custody six `militants’ during raids in Dera Ismail Khan in the past two days.
The officials linked the suspects to wanted Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud, believed by the government to be spearheading `terrorist acts’ from South Waziristan.
Agencies add: `Sectarian literature’ and a computer disc showing `militants’ slaughtering two suspected government spies were recovered from the arrested men’s custody, a security official said.
“We believe the group was planning suicidal attacks in the country,” said the official. The suspects were later transferred to Islamabad for interrogation.
Police further heightened security in Karachi following reports that a gang of suicide bombers were in the city to `target Shias’ a police official said.
“There is credible information that three or four suicide bombers are in Karachi and they may target imambargahs and mosques, their leaders and processions.”
Some 15,000 police and paramilitary troops as well as hundreds of plain-clothes intelligence personnel have been deployed in Karachi for Muharram duty.
ROCKETS FIRED: Thirteen people were wounded when three rockets landed near a mosque in Bannu’s Hussainabad area.
Witnesses said that two of the rockets landed close to Imambargah Hussainia. They said one of the rockets did not explode.
Two of the wounded were in critical condition.
Bannu DPO Mazharul Haq Kakakhel said the rockets had been fired from the Mal Mandi area. According to official sources, the police had advised the organisers against taking out a Muharram procession.
Bannu Nazim Azam Durrani visited the site and directed the authorities to deploy an additional police squad.
The NWFP chief minister, who hails from Bannu, announced a compensation of Rs50,000 each for the injured.
Our Tank Correspondent adds: A police post came under rocket attack on the Tank-Dera Ismail Khan road on Sunday night.
Police said an unknown number of rockets were fired on Manjani check post in the area, partially damaging it.After the attack, police exchanged fire with the snipers for at least one hour.
Our Kohat Correspondent adds: Police foiled an attempt to blow up a women’s mourning place in Mohallah Sikandar Khan Shaheed on Monday evening.
An explosive device was planted under the stairs of a house where women mourners were to congregate. The house is situated near an imambargah.
The administration has sealed all entry points into Kohat in order to stop terrorists from entering the town on Ashura day.
Sherpao: Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao on Monday reiterated the government’s `resolve’ to root out terrorism and extremism.
“Let me reiterate that the government is firm in its resolve to uproot the menace of terrorism and extremism from society so that the nation's march on the road to progress and prosperity continues,” the minister said in a statement after the suicide bombing in Dera Ismail Khan.
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