Blast in Pakistani market kills at least 16 people

ISLAMABAD – At least 16 people have been killed and dozens more wounded after an explosion in Pakistan’s Khyber tribal area, officials say.

The explosion took place in the Jamrud district on Monday morning, and wounded more than 50 people, said Azam Wazir, a local administration official.

Wazir said that an explosives-laden vehicle had been parked outside the office of the tribal area’s political agent, the area’s top civilian administrator.

Five Afghan women and three children were among the dead, he said.

Reports say the blast took place in front of the office of the assistant political agent for Khyber, one of the top local government officials in the semi-autonomous region.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Several militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, have carried out attacks in Khyber and other parts of the tribal region in the past.

Source: THE TIMES OF EARTH