PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Oct 10, (AFP) -The death toll from the suicide car bombing in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar has risen to 52 after three more people died in hospital overnight, police and health officials said Saturday.
The massive blast ripped through a packed market at midday on Friday killing at least 49 people and injuring over 100.
Charred corpses were strewn in a shopping area of the city's main Khyber Bazaar, with cars reduced to burning wrecks and a city bus destroyed and flung on its side.
“Three seriously injured died in the hospital and 15 more are in serious condition,” said doctor Hameed Afridi, the chief executive of Peshawar's main Lady Reading Hospital.
“We are trying our best to save their lives,” Afridi said, adding that 47 dead bodies have been identified and handed over to relatives.
Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik blamed the Taliban for the attack and said it could force the army to bring forward a planned operation to wipe out militant strongholds in the northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan. |
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