Christian neighborhood, courts targeted in Pakistan

In a separate suicide bomb attack on a district court in Mardan, some 40 kilometers northeast of Peshawar, a militant killed 10 people and wounded 41 others.

Friday’s blast came as security forces fended off four suicide bombers who were trying to attack a Christian colony near the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial capital of Peshawar, 60 kilometres (37 miles) to the west of Mardan.

In an emailed statement, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the twin bombings, which targeted Christians and lawyers.

Police sources said that bomber’s suicide vest contained around seven to eight kilogramme of explosives.

Jamaat-ur-Ahrar’s spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, vowed to stage more attacks in a statement sent to Reuters.

Condemnation heaped upon the terror outfit carrying out attack on Peshawar’s Christian Colony. “These receding elements are showing frustration by attacking our soft targets”. The deafening explosion killed or wounded dozens of lawyers and litigants who were milling about the complex, officials said.

Quetta killed more than 70 people, almost wiping out the senior lawyers of the city.

Meanwhile, PM Nawaz has expressed satisfaction over successfully foiling the attack in Peshawar by 4 suicide bombers. All four terrorists were killed during the encounter.

This is the latest assault that has been targeted to the legal community of Pakistan.

Police said two of the attackers detonated their suicide jackets while two others were killed by security forces. District police officer Faisal Shahzad also told CNN that the attack launched by the Pakistani Taliban’s splinter group left at least 13 people dead and 53 injured. He said that all political actors were brought on the same page in 2013 to eliminate the terrorist elements.

A day before the attack, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) gave a briefing regarding the operation against terrorists in the region.

Army spokesman Lt. General Asim Bajwa said they have arrested over 300 ISIS-linked militants from the area.