International

20 Killed as Suicide Bomber Rams into Pak Military Convoy

At least 20 people were killed in when a suicide bomber rammed the pick-up truck he was driving into a convoy of the Pakistan army in the vicinity of the northeastern town of Kohat on Saturday, say media reports citing police officials in the area.

“The bomber was driving a pick-up truck which he rammed into a convoy passing by a security checkpost, “Fareed Khan, a senior police official, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

“At the moment, I can say at least 20 people, including soldiers and policemen, were killed,” he said.

Eight vehicles were turned into a mangled heap by the impact of the bomber who struck near Kohat some 190 kms west of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

The attack sends alarms ringing across the globe as peaceful nations worry over the growing force of Taliban elements inside the nuclear-armed country.

Taliban elements in Pakistan have repeatedly warned of intense attacks against the country’s security forces in retaliation of US drone attacks in Islamabad’s militant-infested regions bordering Afghanistan.

The Kohat bombing came a day after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari attempted to convince allies and donors to enable him to step up the fight against militants and warned that the defeat of Pakistan may well spell defeat for the world.

Donors including the United States, Japan, Europe, Saudi Arabia and Iran pledged more than $5 billion in fresh aid over two years at the Tokyo conference on Friday.

Zardari’s repeated flip-flops alternating between armed offensive and peace deals have hurt the campaign against militancy and resulted in the growing impunity of the rebels, who have attacked government buildings with alarming regularity and intensity.

Offering the ultimate carrot, under pressure from conservatives, Zardari recently inked a peace deal with invoking the Shariah law in the Swat valley.

India has long blamed Islamabad of operating cahoots with the Taliban elements it first recruited to fight off a Russia backed regime in neighbouring Afghanistan.

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