By Kevin M. Mathewson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
PARACHINAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomb attack on a militant commander’s compound in the Balandkhel village of Pakistan has killed at least 15 people and injuring several others.
The commander, Mullah Hanafi, has been fighting a branch of Pakistani Taliban (TTP). Some reports say Hanafi was injured in the attack and taken to the hospital, but others say it is still not clear if he was even in the compound.
Reports say early Thursday morning a Taliban suicide bomber fired shots into the compound before driving a car packed with explosive into the compound’s gates. There were also two other suicide bombers who attempted to launch a second attack but were killed by Hanafi’s men.
Pakistani Taliban spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying five militants had targeted Hanfi because he had formed a militant group to fight them.
“Mullah Nabi had been our target and he will remain on our target list,” Shahid told Associated Press.
Most of the dead and injured are members of Mullah Hanafi’s group, however civilians were also among the causalities.
Mullah Hanafi, a veteran Taliban operative, was once associated with TTP but switched sides in early 2008 to fight them with his own militia. A local tribal leader, Malik Nek Marjaan, said the Pakistani government had been supporting Hanfi’s group in its battle against the Taliban.
The Taliban have been waging a decade-long insurgency that has killed thousands of people in an attempt to impose Islamic law in Pakistan what U.S. forces leave the country.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has pushed for peace talks with the militants in an attempt to end the insurgency. But the Taliban have demanded the government release militant prisoners and begin withdrawing troops from the tribal region before they will participate in negotiations.
For further information, please see:
BBC News – Pakistan attack on ‘militant chief’ Nabi Hanafi kills many – 3 October 2013
The Guardian – Pakistan suicide bomb attack on militant chief kills 15 people – 3 October 2013
Yahoo! News – Suicide car bombing kills 15 people in Pakistan – 3 October 2013
ABC News – Suicide Car Bombing Kills 15 People in Pakistan – 3 October 2013
Times of India – Suicide car bombing kills 15 people in Pakistan – 3 October 2013
