Lahore suicide blast death toll mounts to 23

Updated at: 1334 PST, Wednesday, May 27, 2009 LAHORE: The suicide car bomb blast at Rescue-15 building adjacent to CCPO Office killed 23 people and injured over 200 others here in Civil Line area on Wednesday.The injured have been shifted to different hospitals of the city where medical aid is being provided to them.President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has strongly condemned the blast.According to sources, gunshots were being heard near the blast site for minutes before a speeding red van laden with explosives broke the barriers outside the Rescue-15 building and blew up with a loud blast, bringing down the entire building.The suicide bomber intended to target the office of the CCPO, sources added.Explosives weighing 100 kilograms were used in the explosion which was followed by gunshots in the area with intervals while four suspects were arrested from the blast site.Windowpanes of the nearby buildings and houses were shattered and 15 vehicles were destroyed as thick smoke clouded the blast site.Rescue activities were kick-started after the blast and the injured were whisked away by ambulances to Meo, Gangaram and Services hospitals.Machines are being used to recover people trapped under the debris. Six of the ten bodies brought to Meo Hospital were of policemen while two bodies are beyond recognition

Army mounts new phase of offensive in Swat : Security forces enter Mingora

17 Taliban including key commander killed as street battles begin * Taliban flee in small groups from Peochar valley By Tahir NiazISLAMABAD: Troops stormed into Mingora and fought street battles with the Taliban on Saturday, in a bid to wrest the main Swat town from Taliban control.Seventeen Taliban including a commander were killed as the new and most important phase of Operation Rah-e-Rast commenced, chief military spokesman Major GeneralAthar Abbas said in a daily briefing.He said the troops had secured a part of the city from the Circuit House to Makan Bagh. Battles to secure Nawan Killi have begun and a link up between forces coming from Fiza Ghat to Whataki Chowk and Ayub Bridge to Nawan Killi has been completed. Intense clashes were reported from Nishat Chowk in Mingora. A suicide bomber was shot dead and an explosives-laden vehicle was destroyed in Makanzai area of the city. On the Qambar Ridge overlooking Mingora, three caves with large quantities of ammunition and rations were discovered during a search and destroy operation. The Taliban are on the run in small groups from their former Peochar stronghold.Troops have secured the vital Wanai Bridge linking Matta with Peochar.Gen Abbas said there were about 1,500 ‘hardcore militants’ still fighting in Swat, and that the army would try to complete the operation in eight weeks.

Car bomb kills 10 in Peshawar

Updated at: 1955 PST, Friday, May 22, 2009
PESHAWAR: A car bomb exploded on Cinema Road in Khyber Bazaar area of Peshawar, killing 10 people and injuring dozens others, police said on Friday.The dead and injured were rushed to the city’s hospitals where emergency was declared. The hospitals’ administration confirmed that more than 50 injured were brought to the hospital, some of them in very critical condition.According to the CCPO Peshawar, more than 75 people sustained injuries in the blast.The cinema building nearby shops were badly damaged in the blast. Several cars and other vehicles parked on the road were also damaged.The blast was very loud and was heard in many parts of the provincial capital.