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Bomb hits Pakistan hashish market | Bomb hits Pakistan hashish market |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A suicide bomb attack near a crowded market selling hashish in north-western Pakistan has killed at least 15 people and injured up to 100, officials say. | |
The bomber detonated his explosives among militants gathered at a compound by the market, a witness told the BBC. | |
The blast occurred in the Khyber tribal region, close to the Afghan border, in an area where the Taliban is known to have a strong presence. | The blast occurred in the Khyber tribal region, close to the Afghan border, in an area where the Taliban is known to have a strong presence. |
Over the past year north-west Pakistan has been hit by numerous attacks. | Over the past year north-west Pakistan has been hit by numerous attacks. |
The army recently finished an offensive in the area against the Taliban. | The army recently finished an offensive in the area against the Taliban. |
According to a witness, the bomber walked in among the militants as they were speaking at a compound used by the pro-Taliban Lashkar-e-Islam group and blew himself up. | |
The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan says reports from the area suggest the second-in-command of Lashkar-e-Islam, one of the biggest militant organisations in the Khyber, was killed in the blast. | |
The weekly market - selling hashish, a form of the drug cannabis - was set up in the grounds of the compound. Initial reports suggested it had been a cattle market. | |
Hundreds of people have died in clashes between Lashkar-e-Islam and another armed Islamic group, Ansarul Islam, both of which are banned by the government, in the region in the past few years. | Hundreds of people have died in clashes between Lashkar-e-Islam and another armed Islamic group, Ansarul Islam, both of which are banned by the government, in the region in the past few years. |
Locals say government helicopters have recently helped Ansarul Islam - now re-named the Peace Committee - during clashes with Lashkar-e-Islam. | Locals say government helicopters have recently helped Ansarul Islam - now re-named the Peace Committee - during clashes with Lashkar-e-Islam. |