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Suicide bomber attack kills 25 and wounds dozens in Karachi
Source: Agencies |
December 29, 2009, Tuesday
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A SUICIDE bombing targeting a Shiite Muslim procession in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi killed 25 people and wounded dozens more yesterday, as Shiites across the country marked the key holy day of Ashoura.
Violence broke out in the aftermath of the bombing, with shots fired into the air and outraged Shiites hurling stones at security forces, who had been guarding the march, for their failure to prevent it.
The bombing was the latest in a wave of violence to hit Pakistan since the army started taking on Islamist militants allied with al-Qaida and the Taliban, with terrorist strikes killing 500 people since October.
Karachi has largely been spared the Taliban-linked violence that has struck much of the rest of the country. But the city has been the scene of frequent sectarian, ethnic and political violence.
Extremists from the majority Sunni community regard Shiites as heretical, and the two groups have long engaged in tit-for-tat killings in Pakistan.
After yesterday's blast, protesters set fire to a market, two other buildings and several vehicles, smashing shops as others at the procession attempted to stop them. Police and paramilitary troops fired into the air to disperse the crowd.
Television footage showed police cars and ambulances damaged, with windows smashed and doors and hoods ripped open.
Karachi Mayor Mustafa Kamal appealed for calm.
"I want to appeal to the people, to my brothers, my elders to stay calm. I am hearing people are clashing with police and doctors. Please do not do that. That is what terrorists are aiming at. They want to see this city again on fire," he said.
At the nearby Civil Hospital, relatives cried and beat their chests as the wounded lay on stretchers and beds.
"So far... more than 25 people have been (killed) and more than 50 are wounded," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.
The minister said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives at the start of the procession.
"These are people who are against the democracy, against our religion, against our Pakistan," he said.
Bomb disposal squad official Munir Sheikh said some 16 kilograms of high explosive were used in the bombing.
Security has been tightened across Pakistan for Ashoura, which is the 10th day of the holy month of Muharram, a month of mourning commemorating the seventh-century death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. Some parts of the Muslim world celebrated Ashoura on Sunday.
Violence broke out in the aftermath of the bombing, with shots fired into the air and outraged Shiites hurling stones at security forces, who had been guarding the march, for their failure to prevent it.
The bombing was the latest in a wave of violence to hit Pakistan since the army started taking on Islamist militants allied with al-Qaida and the Taliban, with terrorist strikes killing 500 people since October.
Karachi has largely been spared the Taliban-linked violence that has struck much of the rest of the country. But the city has been the scene of frequent sectarian, ethnic and political violence.
Extremists from the majority Sunni community regard Shiites as heretical, and the two groups have long engaged in tit-for-tat killings in Pakistan.
After yesterday's blast, protesters set fire to a market, two other buildings and several vehicles, smashing shops as others at the procession attempted to stop them. Police and paramilitary troops fired into the air to disperse the crowd.
Television footage showed police cars and ambulances damaged, with windows smashed and doors and hoods ripped open.
Karachi Mayor Mustafa Kamal appealed for calm.
"I want to appeal to the people, to my brothers, my elders to stay calm. I am hearing people are clashing with police and doctors. Please do not do that. That is what terrorists are aiming at. They want to see this city again on fire," he said.
At the nearby Civil Hospital, relatives cried and beat their chests as the wounded lay on stretchers and beds.
"So far... more than 25 people have been (killed) and more than 50 are wounded," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.
The minister said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosives at the start of the procession.
"These are people who are against the democracy, against our religion, against our Pakistan," he said.
Bomb disposal squad official Munir Sheikh said some 16 kilograms of high explosive were used in the bombing.
Security has been tightened across Pakistan for Ashoura, which is the 10th day of the holy month of Muharram, a month of mourning commemorating the seventh-century death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. Some parts of the Muslim world celebrated Ashoura on Sunday.
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