Suicide Bomber Kills 3 in Northwestern Pakistan
Pakistani police say a suicide bomber in a rickshaw has killed three people in Peshawar, a day after another suicide bomber killed 13 people in a crowded market outside the northwestern city.
Pakistani police officers examine the wreckage of a rickshaw at the site of suicide bombing in Peshawar, Pakistan, 09 Nov 2009 Police say the suicide bomber detonated his explosives Monday at a checkpoint on a frequently traveled road that runs around Peshawar. Officials say a constable was among the dead. The blast wounded five other people.
The earlier bombing on Sunday killed a local mayor, Abdul Malik. He was once a Taliban supporter, but switched sides and mobilized villagers to form a tribal militia against militants. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
Also Sunday, police in Islamabad killed a suicide bomber as he ran toward a checkpoint in the capital.
In other violence, the Pakistani army said Sunday it killed 20 insurgents during the latest stage of its South Waziristan offensive against the Taliban.
Since the army launched the anti-Taliban campaign in South Waziristan on October 17, it says military forces have killed more than 480 militants. At least 44 soldiers also are said to have died in the operation.
The reports of battlefield losses cannot be independently verified because journalists and rights groups are barred from the tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan.
U.N. officials say around 200,000 people have fled South Waziristan, but many others remain trapped in the conflict zone. Police say the suicide bomber detonated his explosives Monday at a checkpoint on a frequently traveled road that runs around Peshawar. Officials say a constable was among the dead. The blast wounded five other people.The earlier bombing on Sunday killed a local mayor, Abdul Malik. He was once a Taliban supporter, but switched sides and mobilized villagers to form a tribal militia against militants. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.Also Sunday, police in Islamabad killed a suicide bomber as he ran toward a checkpoint in the capital.In other violence, the Pakistani army said Sunday it killed 20 insurgents during the latest stage of its South Waziristan offensive against the Taliban.Since the army launched the anti-Taliban campaign in South Waziristan on October 17, it says military forces have killed more than 480 militants. At least 44 soldiers also are said to have died in the operation.The reports of battlefield losses cannot be independently verified because journalists and rights groups are barred from the tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan.U.N. officials say around 200,000 people have fled South Waziristan, but many others remain trapped in the conflict zone. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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Pakistani police said today that a suicide bomber in a rickshaw has killed three people in Peshawar, a day after another suicide bomber killed thirteen people in a crowded market outside the northwestern city.

Police say the suicide bomber detonated his explosives at a checkpoint on a frequently traveled road that runs around Peshawar. Officials say a constable, a passerby, and the rickshaw driver were among the dead. The blast wounded five other people.

According to a senior local police officer, the attacker was probably intending to detonate the bomb in a more crowded area, but decided to set it off when security officials stopped the rickshaw in order to check it.

"The bomber was in a rickshaw and detonated his explosives when the rickshaw was stopped for a check," said police official Zafar Khan. "One of our constables, a passerby and the rickshaw driver were killed."

Local government official Sahibzada Anis said that "despite all the security arrangements you cannot stop one who is bent upon killing himself and others. Our police are rendering their lives to save citizens but these kinds of incidents are hard to stop."

No person or group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.