Officer, soldiers among 11 killed in two terror attacks in Pak

PESHAWAR - A lieutenant-colonel, five soldiers and five civilians were killed in bomb attacks on a paramilitary convoy in Orakzai Agency as well as a mosque near Peshawar.

Lt-Col Mohammad Yousaf and five soldiers were killed, while two were injured in the convoy attack, the Dawn reported.

Although the area was cordoned off and a search operation was carried out, no arrest could be made.

In another incident, at least five people were killed and thirty injured in the bomb attack on the main mosque of Peshtakhara Bala near Peshawar. Most of the injured were young men and children.

Peshawar Police Chief Liaquat Ali Khan told reporters that the explosive device was placed beside a pillar in the veranda, and was detonated by a remote control.

He noted that while security had been beefed up around all the mosques in bazaars and congested areas, securing such places in villages was almost impossible.

He said that the attacker apparently entered the mosque when worshippers were gathering for Friday prayers. The explosion took place at about 1.55pm when people had started leaving. In view of the situation, people should set up local peace committees, keep an eye on suspicious people and provide information about their movement to police, he added.

Senior provincial minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour said that terrorists, who were in disarray because of action taken against them, had started attacking innocent people in places of worship.

The government was determined to continue to mount pressure on terrorists till their elimination, he said, while announcing a compensation of 300,000 rupees for each deceased and 100,000 rupees for the injured.

Cantonment Circle SP Shafiullah Khan disclosed that a search operation had been launched in the area close to Khyber Agency. (ANI)