Death toll in Pak violence reaches 23

The death toll in fresh violence in tribal areas of Pakistan has reached 23.

Peshawar, Aug 5 : The death toll in fresh violence in tribal areas of Pakistan has reached 23.

Four soldiers- two each from the army and the Frontier Corps - were killed in the clash with the militants in North Waziristan, said security officials in Miranshah.

The Pakistan Army said that militants fired a barrage of rockets at security checkpoints and then attacked one of them with automatic weapons overnight in North Waziristan.

"The miscreants fired 50 to 60 rockets at five posts before attacking one of them with automatic weapons in Dosali," said military spokesman Major-General Waheed Arshad.

Fierce fighting ensued and the troops repelled the attackers, killing 10 militants, he said.

In Parachinar, Kurram Agency, nine people were killed and 43 injured when a suicide car bomber triggered an explosion at a busy bus station. Several cars and shops were damaged in the attack.

Four people died instantly in the suicide car bombing while five others succumbed to their wounds in the hospital, Dr Muhammad Hanif Jan of the Parachinar hospital, said.

Dr Jan added that 43 injured people were being treated and the condition of some of them was critical.

Eyewitnesses said that a car driven by a "bearded man" crashed into another car from behind near the entry point of Parachinar city at 10:30 a.m. and as people gathered there was a "big explosion".

Local administration official Sahibzada Anis said the bomber probably detonated his payload prematurely after he had a roadside accident with another car near the taxi stand on a main road in the town.

"He detonated himself after the accident fearing he could be arrested," Anis said, adding that authorities had ordered an investigation into the attack.

Officials said the violence triggered by the killing of deputy cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi of Lal Masjid in an army raid in Islamabad had so far claimed more than 230 lives, the Dawn reported.

Interior ministry officials said there had been at least 13 suicide attacks since the Lal Masjid operation.

ANI