Suicide blast at mosque in Pakistan kills 30 PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide bomber killed at least 30 people and wounded 40 attending Friday prayers at a mosque in Pakistan's northwest, violence that came as the country's leaders urged a visiting U.S. envoy for more aid to stave off Taliban-led militancy. The attack also occurred as the Pakistani army said it had made more gains in the nearby Swat Valley, an operation that the army chief said had "decisively turned" in the military's favor. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast at the Sunni Muslim mosque in the Haya Gai area of Upper Dir, a rough and tumble district next to Swat. Police said a man wearing an explosive vest entered the mosque but was recognized by some worshippers as a stranger. When they confronted the man, he blew himself up, said Atlass Khan, a police official in Upper Dir. Local police Chief Ejaz Ahmad said the confirmed death toll was 30, but "there are more body parts, which may make another four to six bodies" and the final tally could reach 40. Another 40 were wounded, some critically, Ahmad told The Associated Press by phone. Pakistani leaders insist they are serious about wiping out militancy in the northwest, especially in the Swat Valley, a one-time tourist haven that the Taliban took over in the past two years. Washington backs the operation, seeing it as a test of Pakistan's resolve to beat al-Qaida and Taliban militants implicated in attacks on Western forces in neighboring Afghanistan. But the generally broad public support in Pakistan for the operation could falter if militant violence spikes in reaction or if the government fails to successfully resettle some 3 million refugees from the fighting. There already have been attacks in Peshawar and Lahore that officials say were revenge by the militants for Swat. Atif-ur-Rehman, a top official in Upper Dir's government, blamed the Taliban for the latest attack. "It is obvious. They are Taliban," he told the AP. "We can say it seems to be a reaction to the offensive in Swat." Also Friday, four soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in South Waziristan, according to two intelligence officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. South Waziristan is a tribal region bordering Afghanistan that some suspect will be the next site of Pakistani military action against the Taliban. The military insists the Taliban are attacking troops there to distract the army from Swat. Many of civilians displaced from the Swat offensive have been impatient to return home. An AP reporter saw hundreds of Swat residents at Got Koto, an area just outside the valley, on Friday. The residents had heard reports the government would lift a curfew in the main town of Mingora to let them go back. But security forces on a main road stopped them, saying they could not allow civilians back in yet. "I want nothing from the government. I only want that we should be allowed to go back to our Mingora city," said Dilawar Khan, 40, as his four children and two wives stood by him under the shade of a tree. Khan and his family had been staying at a relief camp in Mardan. Zubayda Bibi, one of the wives, complained about conditions at the camps. "We can no longer sit at the camps where there is only dust, diseases and heat," she said. Even if damaged, "home is better than anything." The army launched the Swat offensive about month ago after militants undermined a peace deal by infiltrating a neighboring district just 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the capital, Islamabad. The offensive has also covered the areas of Buner and Lower Dir. About 160,000 of the displaced Pakistanis are now living in relief camps. The U.S. has pledged $110 million to help the refugees and U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke this week announced plans for $200 million more. In a meeting with Holbrooke on Friday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani asked that the U.S. write off Pakistan's debt, according to a statement from Gilani's office. Holbrooke did not directly address the request in a news conference Friday, but said he would meet Treasury and State Department officials when he returns to Washington "to see what additional things we can do to assist Pakistan in terms of its IMF obligations, its World Bank obligations and its extraordinarily difficult economic situation." Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said this week that major population centers and roads leading to the valley were rid of Taliban resistance. But he said security forces were still hunting top Taliban commanders and that isolated incidents of violence would likely continue. source _____________ I just don't understand how anyone can justify a suicide bombing in a Mosque? Hopefully the Pakistani people and army will continue their fight against these terrorists and rid Pakistan of them.
Imagine if it was a US drone blowing up 30 people in a mosque, I'd be going ape shit right now. This is so depressing! People are stupid.
It is always interesting to me how you want to make this about the US and not the Islamic terrorists who are intentionally blowing up a Mosque full of innocent people. The goal here was to kill innocent men. That has never been the goal of the US. Instead of fighting Muslims who are killing other Muslims, they are bitching about the US. This repeated inability to comprehend the difference causes concern about the future of the Muslim world. So yeah, gauarjk, people are stupid.
Shia-Sunni infighting is the culprit. Don't know whats the point in mindless killing. Blowing up a mosque? Stupid people.
And yet to you, both in your post here and in your rep to me, it is all about the United States. Sadly, that illustrates the problem not just with you but with the Muslim world as a whole. Why are many Muslims not living in freedom and democracy? Why are they being ruled by authoritarian regimes? With one eye constantly focused on blaming America, you only have one eye left to find your way. p.s. I find it somewhat amusing that Muslims tend to blame Israel and America for all their woes and yet let their own Muslim governments run roughshod all over them. It never ceases to amaze me how easily so many people are manipulated.
That is a sad story. Don't know what this world is becoming. The way i see things going, we maybe having a 3rd world was soon!!!
So you should be going 100x more ape shit now. The US isn't exactly someone to look up to when it comes to morals or righteous things, so we shouldn't be surprised when they do such things. But i don't believe for one second browntwn feels any sympathy for those that died, "how can anyone justify a suicide bombing in a mosque" he says, as if he cares, but he was supporting Israel bombing hospitals and mosques a few months ago...typical. On topic: I hope Pakistan hunts and eradicates the Taliban i don't understand what they are trying to achieve by making everyone hate them.
The Taliban are a threat to the world. The president of Pakistan even said so in a recent interview. You have double standards regarding Pakistanis accidentally killing innocents in the war against radical islamists and the US accidentally killing innocents in the same war. The Iraqis invaded two of their neighbors within about a ten year time span so they could control more of the middle east's oil, so that Saddam could build more lavish palaces for himself. Then after bringing the world into a mini world war against them they refused for thirteen years to submit to the inspection process. Whether we were actually justified to go in was debatable. There is a level-headed argument for and against. But there would not be any reasonable argument at all if it wasn't for the actions of the Saddam. I hate being a tattle-tale, but since you're not in the room with me saying it to my face, it's the only recourse I have.
The Taliban are a threat to the world yeah i'm really shitting myself worrying about the taliban, don't kid yourself. When Saddam invaded his neighbors he did so with your money and weapons, so yeah, you are to blame.
I guess you know better than the president of pakistan who's dealing with the forcible spread of radical islam by the taliban and the threat of his nuclear arsenal falling into the wrong hands. Weapons of the Gulf War: IRAQ: Aircraft Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 "Fishbed" Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 "Flogger" Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 "Foxbat" Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 "Fulcrum" Sukhoi Su-17 "Fitter-C" Sukhoi Su-20 "Fitter-B" Sukhoi Su-22 "Fitter" SA 341 Gazelle Ilyushin IL-76 "Candid" Armor BMP-1 T-72 T-62 SS-1 SCUD Miscellaneous Frog-7 Al-Hussein Al-Abbas Silkworm SA-6 http://www.militaryfactory.com/battles/weapons-of-desert-storm.asp Most of that stuff looks soviet to me.