SWAT, Feb 22: A bride and 12 other people were killed when one of the vehicles being used by a wedding party was hit by a roadside bomb near Sarbanda in Matta tehsil here on Friday. Twelve other people suffered injuries.
This is the first terror-related incident since the crucial parliamentary elections were held on Monday.
The bride’s father was among the dead, a police official said. He said that the bomb had been detonated by remote control and two cars had been destroyed.
The motorcade had originated from the Ronail village.
According to the in-charge of the army’s media centre, Maj Aurangzeb, two explosive devices had been triggered, one after another.
Local people said the vehicle carrying the bride had been attacked twice by militants because it looked like an army vehicle.
Most of the dead were women and children. Another five children were injured.
Security forces cordoned off the area and found another improvised device near the Wanay village. It was detonated.
The road is frequently used by security forces and an army unit is stationed in the Sarbanda area.
Interior ministry spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Cheema confirmed the incident, according to AFP.
