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Blast hits Pakistan sports crowd Blast hits Pakistan sports crowd
(30 minutes later)
At least 32 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 32 people have been killed after a suspected suicide bomb attack at a volleyball pitch in the troubled north-west of Pakistan, officials say.
Some officials said the bomber drove a vehicle onto the field as people gathered to watch a match. Some officials said the bomber drove a vehicle onto the field as people gathered to watch a match. Other reports said the car was parked nearby.
However, there were conflicting reports on how the attack happened and police said they were still investigating. The attack took place in Lakki Marwat, close to North and South Waziristan.
Many people were reported to be injured. At least one house collapsed, trapping people under rubble. The Pakistani army has been conducting a campaign against the Taliban in the tribal areas since October.
The attack took place in Lakki Marwat, close to the tribal areas of North and South Waziristan. Many people were reported to be injured in Friday's attack. At least one house collapsed, trapping people under rubble.
"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.
But other reports suggested that the vehicle that exploded may have been parked near the pitch. 'Soft' target
Mr Khan was quoted by the Associated Press as saying the attack may have been in retaliation for attempts by locals to expel militants by setting up their own militia. Mr Khan was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying the attack may have been in retaliation for attempts by locals to expel militants by setting up their own militia.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool reports from Islamabad that among those killed were members of a local peace committee who have been campaigning for an end to the violence.
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.
Since October, the Pakistani army has been carrying out a ground offensive against militants in South Waziristan. 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 BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Islamabad, says it had been feared that while the army was congratulating itself on its campaign, militants had simply escaped to neighbouring areas. 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.
Friday's attack shows their ability to strike back wherever they choose, he says. 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 number of people killed in militant attacks is fast approaching 600 in just three months, with no apparent end to the violence in sight, he adds.


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