17 including 4 bombers dead, 52 wounded in KP attacks

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Seventeen people, including four suicide bombers, were killed and more than 50 others wounded in two separate terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Friday.

Four suicide bombers and a civilian were killed after an attack on a Christian colony in Peshawar, the provincial capital, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asim Bajwa tweeted. "All four suicide bombers were killed."

Intense gunfire erupted at 6am, when the terrorists struck the colony. The gunmen were wearing suicide jackets. Two of the attackers detonated their suicide jackets while two others were killed.

Hours later, a dozen people were killed and 52 others injured as a suicide bomber attacked district courts in Mardan district, rescue officer Haris Habib told reporters. Two bombs were detonated by the attacker, he said.

The terrorist lobbed a hand grenade before blowsing himself up at the entrance to the district courts, the Mardan police chief said. After the blast, security forces arrived at the spot and cordoned off the area. An investigation is underway.

The Jamaatul Ahrar (JA), a Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) affiliate, claimed responsibility for both attacks.

On Aug 8, a suicide bomber attacked the Quetta Civil Hospital, killing more than 70 people, including 54 lawyers. That attack had also been claimed by the Jamaatul Ahrar.

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