45 killed in Pakistan suicide blast
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FACT INDIA
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45 killed in Pakistan suicide blast 
The blast took place at a World Food Programme distribution centre in Khar, close to Afghan border - a Taliban and al Qaida stronghold.
PESHAWAR: At least 45 people have been killed and nearly 100 injured after a suicide bomber attacked a large crowd of people in Pakistan's north western Bajaur tribal region on Saturday.
The blast took place at a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution centre in the town of Khar, headquarters of Bajaur Agency, close to the Afghan border - a Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold.
Most of the victims are believed to be civilians who had fled the fighting between Taliban militants and the Pakistani army. Around 1,000 people displaced by military operations had been receiving food at a distribution centre when the attacker struck, said a local government official.
Officials and eyewitnesses feared that the death toll could rise. Most of the injured were shifted to Peshawar in helicopters.
Saturday's bombing was the latest in a string of recent attacks in Pakistan's volatile north-west.
A big clash between Pakistani Taliban militants and security forces left 11 soldiers and 24 fighters dead on Friday in the neighbouring Mohmand tribal region after some 150 Taliban fighters attacked five Frontier Corps checkpoints.
Earlier this month, a double suicide bombing attack in Mohmand left at least 43 people dead while more than 100 were killed in similar suicide attacks in July.
Amjad Jamal, a spokesman for the WFP in Pakistan, said that none of UN agency's staff were injured in this attack.
"The suicide attack was not within the distribution site, it was at a security checkpoint some 250 to 300 metres away from our site," Jamal said.
"People were coming to get their food rations from the WFP distribution centre. Once they get themselves screened, then they come to the site, so there was a big number of people waiting in that area.
"For the time being this particular point will be closed because the security authorities have cordoned off the area, but all other WFP operations within the country remain open and our relief operations will continue."
The Bajaur region has seen several military operations to clear it of insurgents. Hundreds of insurgents have been killed and many of their strongholds have been captured, but they have retaliated and have killed hundreds of people in a campaign of suicide attacks across the country.
The military had claimed in October that it would take at least six months to clear fighters from Bajaur and Mohmand areas.
Pakistan has faced growing US pressure in recent months to launch military operations in the most restive tribal region of North Waziristan, which is considered as a global safe haven for al-Qaida and Taliban insurgents.
The blast took place at a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution centre in the town of Khar, headquarters of Bajaur Agency, close to the Afghan border - a Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold.
Most of the victims are believed to be civilians who had fled the fighting between Taliban militants and the Pakistani army. Around 1,000 people displaced by military operations had been receiving food at a distribution centre when the attacker struck, said a local government official.
Officials and eyewitnesses feared that the death toll could rise. Most of the injured were shifted to Peshawar in helicopters.
Saturday's bombing was the latest in a string of recent attacks in Pakistan's volatile north-west.
A big clash between Pakistani Taliban militants and security forces left 11 soldiers and 24 fighters dead on Friday in the neighbouring Mohmand tribal region after some 150 Taliban fighters attacked five Frontier Corps checkpoints.
Earlier this month, a double suicide bombing attack in Mohmand left at least 43 people dead while more than 100 were killed in similar suicide attacks in July.
Amjad Jamal, a spokesman for the WFP in Pakistan, said that none of UN agency's staff were injured in this attack.
"The suicide attack was not within the distribution site, it was at a security checkpoint some 250 to 300 metres away from our site," Jamal said.
"People were coming to get their food rations from the WFP distribution centre. Once they get themselves screened, then they come to the site, so there was a big number of people waiting in that area.
"For the time being this particular point will be closed because the security authorities have cordoned off the area, but all other WFP operations within the country remain open and our relief operations will continue."
The Bajaur region has seen several military operations to clear it of insurgents. Hundreds of insurgents have been killed and many of their strongholds have been captured, but they have retaliated and have killed hundreds of people in a campaign of suicide attacks across the country.
The military had claimed in October that it would take at least six months to clear fighters from Bajaur and Mohmand areas.
Pakistan has faced growing US pressure in recent months to launch military operations in the most restive tribal region of North Waziristan, which is considered as a global safe haven for al-Qaida and Taliban insurgents.
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