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| Blast hits Pakistan sports crowd | Blast hits Pakistan sports crowd |
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| At least 40 people have been killed after a suspected suicide bomb attack at a volleyball pitch in the troubled north-west of Pakistan, officials say. | At least 40 people have been killed after a suspected suicide bomb attack at a volleyball pitch in the troubled north-west of Pakistan, officials say. |
| Officials said the bomber drove a vehicle towards the field as people gathered to watch a match. Emergency workers put the toll as high as 70. | |
| The attack happened near Lakki Marwat, close to North and South Waziristan. | |
| The Pakistani army has been conducting a campaign against the Taliban in the tribal areas since October. | The Pakistani army has been conducting a campaign against the Taliban in the tribal areas since October. |
| Dozens of people were reported to be injured in Friday's attack. Several buildings collapsed, trapping people under rubble. | Dozens of people were reported to be injured in Friday's attack. Several buildings collapsed, trapping people under rubble. |
| 'Militant hub' | |
| "The villagers were watching the match between the two village teams when the bomber rashly drove his double-cabin pick-up vehicle into them and blew it up," district police chief Mohammad Ayub Khan told AFP news agency. | "The villagers were watching the match between the two village teams when the bomber rashly drove his double-cabin pick-up vehicle into them and blew it up," district police chief Mohammad Ayub Khan told AFP news agency. |
| Locals set up a militia and expelled the militants from this area Mohammad Ayub KhanLocal police chief | |
| Mr Khan told reporters the attack may have been in retaliation for attempts by locals to expel militants. | Mr Khan told reporters the attack may have been in retaliation for attempts by locals to expel militants. |
| "The locality has been a hub of militants," he said. | "The locality has been a hub of militants," he said. |
| "Locals set up a militia and expelled the militants from this area. This attack seems to be a reaction to their expulsion." | "Locals set up a militia and expelled the militants from this area. This attack seems to be a reaction to their expulsion." |
| The BBC's Aleem Maqbool reports from Islamabad that among those killed are believed to be members of a local peace committee who have been campaigning for an end to the violence. | |
| Mushtaq Marwat, a member of the group, told Pakistan's Geo TV that the attack occurred as the committee was meeting in a nearby mosque. | Mushtaq Marwat, a member of the group, told Pakistan's Geo TV that the attack occurred as the committee was meeting in a nearby mosque. |
| "Suddenly there was a huge blast. We went out and saw bodies and injured people everywhere," he said. | "Suddenly there was a huge blast. We went out and saw bodies and injured people everywhere," he said. |
| 'Soft target' | |
| Other witnesses reported seeing a bright flash followed by an ear-piercing explosion. | |
| Some initial reports about the attack said the vehicle that exploded was stationary, or that a bomber had walked towards the volleyball pitch. | Some initial reports about the attack said the vehicle that exploded was stationary, or that a bomber had walked towards the volleyball pitch. |
| North and South Waziristan form a lethal militant belt from where insurgents have launched attacks across north-west Pakistan as well as into parts of eastern Afghanistan. | North and South Waziristan form a lethal militant belt from where insurgents have launched attacks across north-west Pakistan as well as into parts of eastern Afghanistan. |
| Our correspondent says it had been feared that while the army was congratulating itself on its campaign, militants had simply escaped to neighbouring areas such as the one where Friday's attack happened. | Our correspondent says it had been feared that while the army was congratulating itself on its campaign, militants had simply escaped to neighbouring areas such as the one where Friday's attack happened. |
| The number of people killed in militant attacks in Pakistan is fast approaching 600 in just three months, with no apparent end to the violence in sight, he adds. | The number of people killed in militant attacks in Pakistan is fast approaching 600 in just three months, with no apparent end to the violence in sight, he adds. |
| Militants have attacked both "hard" targets, including army or intelligence offices, and "soft" ones such as markets or the crowd that was hit in Friday's bombing. | Militants have attacked both "hard" targets, including army or intelligence offices, and "soft" ones such as markets or the crowd that was hit in Friday's bombing. |
| The attack came as a general strike was held in Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, in protest against a bombing there on Monday and riots that followed. | The attack came as a general strike was held in Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital, in protest against a bombing there on Monday and riots that followed. |
| The bombing, which killed at least 43 people, targeted a Shia Muslim march and was claimed by the Taliban. | The bombing, which killed at least 43 people, targeted a Shia Muslim march and was claimed by the Taliban. |
| RECENT MILITANT ATTACKS IN PAKISTAN Lakki Marwat, 1 January: At least 40 killed in bombing at volleyball pitchKarachi, 28 December: At least 43 killed in attack on Shia Muslim marchDera Ghazi Khan, 15 December: At least 27 killed in bomb attack on marketMultan, 8 December: Intelligence agency office attacked - at least 12 killedPeshawar: Many recent attacks - 28 October market bombing killed about 120Lahore: Targeted several times - market bombs killed 50 on 7 DecemberRawalpindi: Several recent attacks, including one at a mosque on 4 December in which 35 diedIslamabad: Security tightened after series of attacks - 20 October bombing killed nine at International Islamic UniversityCharsadda, 10 November: Car bomb kills 34 and wounds 100 | RECENT MILITANT ATTACKS IN PAKISTAN Lakki Marwat, 1 January: At least 40 killed in bombing at volleyball pitchKarachi, 28 December: At least 43 killed in attack on Shia Muslim marchDera Ghazi Khan, 15 December: At least 27 killed in bomb attack on marketMultan, 8 December: Intelligence agency office attacked - at least 12 killedPeshawar: Many recent attacks - 28 October market bombing killed about 120Lahore: Targeted several times - market bombs killed 50 on 7 DecemberRawalpindi: Several recent attacks, including one at a mosque on 4 December in which 35 diedIslamabad: Security tightened after series of attacks - 20 October bombing killed nine at International Islamic UniversityCharsadda, 10 November: Car bomb kills 34 and wounds 100 |
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