South Asia News
Suicide bomber kills mayor, nine more in Pakistan (1st Lead)
Nov 8, 2009, 5:52 GMT
Islamabad - A suicide bomber killed at least 10 people, including a mayor, Sunday in troubled north-west Pakistan, police said.
The attack took place outside a cattle market in the Adezai area, located 25 kilometres south-west of Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province.
Police officer Liaquat Ali Khan said the bombing was targeted at Mayor Abdul Malik, who was wounded and taken to hospital where he died.
Malik, who had survived several previous attempts on his life, headed the local militia formed against militants operating in the nearby Khyber tribal region.
Khan said up to 30 people were injured in Sunday's attack. Five of them were said to be in critical condition.
Pakistan has been witnessing a wave of attacks on official and civilian targets since October. They have killed more than 300 people.
The surge in violence comes as nearly 30,000 troops are battling Taliban fighters and their al-Qaeda comrades in the South Waziristan tribal district, which is on the Afghan border and adjacent to North-West Frontier Province.
The army said more than 450 militants and 42 soldiers have been killed in the offensive. The casualty toll could not be verified independently because the conflict zone is closed to journalists.
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