40 killed in suicide attack on Jirga

DARRA ADAMKHEL—At least 40 persons were killed and 35 others injured when a suicide bomber attacked a grand peace jirga here at Zargoan Khel in the restive Darra Adamkhel town in Frontier Region Kohat, some 40 kilometers West of Peshawar on Sunday, official sources said.
The death toll has mounted to 40 as five more persons were succumbed to their critical wounds in the hospitals of Peshawar and Kohat. The deadly incident occurred when a suicide bomber, believed to be aged between 18 to 20, blew himself up when the elders and members of five tribes Chaper Khel, Akwarwall, Zargoonkhel, Toor Chapper and Bosi Khel were about to leave the place of Jirga.
The jirga, which was attended by more than 1500 people, was convened to analysis the current security situation in Darra Adamkhel and suggest ways and means to flush out militants from the troubled town of FR Kohat. Uptill now, twenty-five injured were brought to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) Peshawar where condition of several was stated to be critical, according to hospital sources. Most of the victims were innocent local tribesmen and tribal elders. According to officials of Lady Reading Hospital and local residents, the deceased so far identified are Malik Dildar Khan, Nassem Khan, Haji Jamal Hussain, Sawab Gul, Khaqan Khan, Niaz Muhammad, Noor Zaman Afridi, Haji Gharat Khan, Imran, Muhammad Ajmal, Payo Khan, Jannat Khan, Malik Gul Din, Maulana Sabir Malik, Malik Khan Muhammad, Suleman Shah and Hakeem Khan.
While Sher Muhammad, Mir Aslam, Mir Ahmed Khan, Khan Zamir, Sher Muhammad, Ameer Nawaz, Noor Zaman, Asif, Samiullah Khan, Masood, Ezat Khan, Socha Gul, Akhtar Gul, Shoaib Rehman, Rehmat Khan, Yaqoob Khan, Tala Muhammad, Noor Gul, Pir Muhammad, Abdul Wadood, Shahinsha and Gharat Khan sustained injuries. The hospital sources said that death toll may further rise as several patients were still in Intensive Care Unit of LRH.
The flesh of mutilated bodies was littered in the ground on Peshawar-Kohat Road. After the blast, the tribesmen have faced difficulties in shifting the injured to hospitals due to lack of transport facility in the town. Darra Adamkhel is situated about 40 kilometers South of Peshawar and was famous for its arms manufacturing. The explosion rocked the area and has terrorized local people as its bang was heard at long distance. Emergency has been imposed in the Lady Reading Hospital were doctors on leave have been called in. The hospital administration has appealed for blood.
It may be recalled that is the third deadliest attack in NWFP within three days as on Friday last, also a suicide bomber had targeted a funeral procession of slain DSP Lakki Marwat, Javed Iqbal that claimed 40 lives and injuring 65. Meanwhile, NWFP Governor, Owais Ahmed Ghani has strongly condemned the suicide attack on a tribal jirga in Darra Adam Khel and has expressed his heartfelt grief and sorrow over the human losses as a result of this sad incident.
He described this suicide attack purely un-Islamic, inhuman and in total violation of tribal norms and traditions of the area, in which elders and the most respectful forum jirga had been targeted. The Governor has appealed to the people of the area to remain peaceful and assured that such cowardice act would not weaken the unflinching pledge and courage of the govt. as well as people against terrorism.

—Agencies