Women, children among 10 killed in Pakistan bombing (1st Lead)

May 16, 2009, 10:14 GMT

   Islamabad - At least 10 people including women and children were killed Saturday when an explosion ripped through a busy street in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, a senior police official said.

   The explosion took place inside a car parked in Kashkal, a densely populated area of the town.

   'It was a car bomb, most probably in a Suzuki motor car. It was most probably remote-controlled and that is what we are looking into now,' said city police chief Safwat Ghayyur.

   Ghayyur said at least 10 people were killed and 18 others were injured.

   The blast also damaged a passing school bus. Four children were killed and several others injured. Two women were also among the dead.

   The explosion shattered windows of nearby buildings and more than a dozen vehicles parked near the site were destroyed or damaged.

   The target of the bombing was not clear. But Geo television reported an internet cafe located near the site of the blast had recently received threats from Taliban militants.

   The mayor of district Peshawar, Omar Khan, said the blast could be retaliation for the ongoing government offensive in the Swat valley and neighbouring district of Buner in the province.

   'The security situation is deteriorating due to the operations in Swat and Buner. The innocent people are getting killed,' he told Aaj television.

   The army launched a major offensive against Taliban fighters late last month after a peace deal broke down. The government claims more than 850 rebels and 43 soldiers have died in the fighting.

   The conflict has also internally displaced more than 900,000 people from the Malakand region where both Swat and Buner are located.

   Authorities feared the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants might launch attacks to avenge the deaths of their comrades in Malakand.