Death Toll Rises to 65 in Attack on Pakistanis
Pakistani Taliban claims responsibility
People who were injured by an explosion lie on a road during a Shiite procession in Quetta, Pakistan on Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (Photo credit: Arshad Butt / AP)
By Abdul Sattar
September 4, 2010
QUETTA, Pakistan — The death toll from a Pakistani Taliban suicide attack on a Shiite Muslim procession rose to 65 Saturday as critically wounded people died in hospitals, while a suspected U.S. missile strike killed seven insurgents in a restive tribal area.
About 150 people were wounded and some remained in critical condition after the bombing Friday in the southwestern city of Quetta, police official Mohammed Sultan said.
The attack was the second in a week against Shiites for which the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility. A triple suicide bombing Wednesday killed 35 people at a Shiite ceremony in the eastern city of Lahore.
“Our war is against American and Pakistani security forces, but Shiites are also our target because they, too, are our enemies,” Pakistani Taliban commander Qari Hussain Mehsud told The Associated Press.
He said he was proud the U.S. had added the Pakistani Taliban to its international terrorism blacklist Wednesday and threatened attacks in coming days in the U.S. and Europe.
“We will prove that we have ability to strike right in their countries,” Mehsud said. …
Meanwhile, two U.S. missiles fired from unmanned aircraft hit a house and a vehicle Saturday evening in a village near Miran Shah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal region, officials said. The attack killed seven militants, four of them foreigners, they added. …
Video
Video shows moment of suicide blast (MSNBC, Sept. 3, 2010) — Bystander video captures the moment when a suicide bomber detonated at a Shiite rally in Pakistan. At least 43 people were killed. Chris Jansing reports. (00:37)
———
9/6/10 Update
Schoolchildren killed in Pakistan suicide attack (NBC News, Sept. 6, 2010) — A suicide bomber struck a school van, then rammed his car into a police station in northwest Pakistan on Monday killing at least 17 people, including children, police said. … There were conflicting reports of the death toll, with NBC News and The Associated Press reporting 17 dead, and Reuters saying at least 19 were killed. … Full story
———
FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — September 4, 2009
Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bernard
Marines pay their respects to Lance Cpl. Joshua “Bernie” Bernard. (Photo: Julie Jacobson / AP)
|
One year ago today, on Sept. 4, 2009, I reported that the Associated Press’ publication of a photo of dying Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard had prompted controversy, with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and retired Marine 1st Sgt. John Bernard, father of Lance Cpl. Bernard, weighing in.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — September 4, 2008
Two years ago today, on the 52nd day of my 2008 campaign against U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I featured information from the League of Women Voters of Minnesota Voter Guide regarding my campaign platform and issue positions.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
September 7th, 2011 at 7:32 am
[…] AfPak Violence Intensifies […]