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Quetta suicide blast targets FC; 10 killed
QUETTA: At least 10 people, including four security personnel, woman and a child, were killed and 23 others sustained injuries as a suicide bomber targeted a security forces’ vehicle near the premises of the heavily guarded Quetta district courts on Saturday.The security convoy comprising a truck and two vehicles was on routine patrolling on the Adalat Road of Quetta city when a bicycle rider targeted it. DIG Imtiaz Shah confirmed it was a suicide attack and that the attacker blew himself up near a vehicle belonging to the FC. “Around 12 to 15 kg of explosive material was used in the blast,” he said. Inspector General Froniter Corps General Sher Afgan while talking to media confirmed that it was a suicide attack, adding that the terrorists were attacking soft targets as the successes achieved by armed forces and FC during the anti-terror operation have destroyed their capabilities. “Such attacks cannot dampen our spirit as we will continue fighting these elements till the establishment of peace in Balochistan,” he said. The elements who are involved in terrorist activities will be eliminated, he said, and added, “Action against terrorists will be fast and will bring peace for people of Balochistan.” Balochistan government spokesperson Anwar ul Haq Kakar said that security forces had carried out 250 intelligence- based operations in Balochistan against the terrorists. “The act of the suicide bombing is reaction of the security forces’ operation and aims at demoralising the security forces,” he said, adding that forces’ morale is high and government will not tolerate any kind of terrorist act. Heavy contingent of police reached the spot shortly after the incident and cordoned off the area. The deceased and injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital Quetta. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. “The TTP’s TSG Unity carried out the attack that targeted the convoy of security forces,” Taliban spokesperson, Mohammad Khorasani said in an email sent to journalists. The claim could not be independently verified. The blast damaged around five vehicles, four motorcycles and three rickshaws. The window panels of the nearby buildings were also shattered in the blast. The explosion was heard in a wide area. Traffic in the area usually remains jammed, with a market, district and sessions courts and a number of government building situated in the vicinity. Television footage showed several wounded FC personnel being shifted from the scene. Rescue and emergency teams reached the blast site. An emergency was declared in all nearby hospitals. Dr Rasheed Jamali, the on-duty physician at Civil Hospital Quetta, said that eight people among the injured were in serious condition and were moved to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for medical treatment. Balochistan Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durani told media on the spot said the suicide bomber targeted the FC vehicles. Claiming that the attack was aimed at damaging the CPEC project, the secretary said, “Because of the economic corridor, the security forces are being targeted by terrorists.” He said the terrorists don’t want CPEC project to complete. The deceased included Asif, 13-year-old Samreen Kurd, Hisbullah. Injured FC personnel were identified as Naseebullah, Nazim Ali, Nasib Ali, Arif, Abdul Hafeez, Liqaut Ali Shah, Inamullah, Ziaullah, Shad Aman, Aishfaq, Ashraf, Naqeeb. Civilians injured in the blast were identified as Abdul Wahab, Aman, Naeem, Manzoor, Saman, Dilawar, Aehsanullah, Naqeebullah, Uzma, Asim and police constable Dad Muhammad. Posted by: badanov 2016-02-07 |
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