PESHAWAR/QUETTA (Agencies)- Two separate bomb attacks targeting security forces in Peshawar and Quetta killed 21 people on Friday. A suicide attack targeting police APV in Peshawar was followed a few hours later by a bicycle bomb explosion aiming to blow up an FC vehicle in Quetta.
According to a private TV channel, the Ahrarul Hind, a splinter group that broke away from the TTP, has claimed responsibility for both the attacks. It said the group has nothing to do with talks so they will continue their campaign.
At least 10 persons were killed and 32 others sustained critical injuries when a suicide bomber exploded himself near police vehicle in Batta-Tal Bazaar in jurisdiction of Sirband Police station on Friday.
Police sources said that the suicide bomber targeted police armoured personnel carrier vehicle (APC) around 12:30pm. A number of policemen inside the armoured vehicle were slightly injured but none of them received fatal injuries. But other people at the explosion site were hit hard by the powerful bomb.
"It was a suicide attack and the bomber approached the police vehicle on foot," Najeeb-ur-Rahman, a senior police officer said, adding that nine people were killed. AIG bomb disposal squad Shafqat Malik said that more than eight kilogram high quality explosive material was used in the attack which caused heavy damage.
After the incident rescue ambulances and Edi rescue team also rushed the site and contributed in the rescue activities. The dead and injured were taken to Lady Reading hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex of Peshawar. Heavy contingent of police rushed the site and examined the site.
The intensity of the blast could be judged of this fact that its sound echoed in the surrounding settled areas of Hayatabad and Badhabera. The blast shattered the window panes of the nearby houses and several vehicles were baldy damaged.
The area is adjacent to Bara, the lawless tribal area from where militants frequently infiltrating to settle areas of Peshawar. The area is more volatile in terms of terrorism and crime as police mostly patrol this area in APCs to avert militant attacks.
In Quetta, a bicycle bomb containing eight to 10 kilos of explosives, apparently targeting a passing vehicle carrying security forces, killed 11 people and wounded 31, officials said. Rescue sources said the blast targeted a Frontier Constabulary (FC) vehicle at Prince Road near Science College. The FC vehicle caught in the explosion was badly damaged. Friday's attack was the deadliest attack to hit the province since January 22, when a bomb targeting a bus carrying Shia pilgrims returning from Iran killed 24 people.