Pakistan: Suicide blast toll rises to 25

The death toll in two suicide car bombings in northwest Pakistan today rose to 25 with the recovery of five more bodies from the debris of a police station that was destroyed in one of the attacks.

Rescue workers pulled out the bodies from the rubble of the police station at Bannu in the North West Frontier Province. Officials told TV news channels that they feared another seven bodies could still be buried in the debris.

A suicide bomber rammed a truck packed with over 300 kg of explosives into the police station yesterday morning. The blast flattened the police station and several nearby homes. Ten people were killed and over 60 others, including policemen and school children, were injured.

Five hours later, another suicide attacker blew up his explosives-laden vehicle outside an army-affiliated bank in the cantonment in the NWFP capital of Peshawar. The blast killed 10 people and injured 88 others.

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for both attacks. Taliban spokesman Qari Hussain Mehsud, best known as a trainer of suicide attackers, said the militants would carry out more suicide bombings and "powerful" attacks in the coming days.

Police officials said about 100 kg of RDX, shells and grenades were used in the second attack in Peshawar.
Investigators are trying to trace the owner of the car that was used in the bombing. Body parts of the bomber have been sent for tests.