April 2010 Kohat bombings

The April 2010 Kohat bombings were a pair of bombings that struck a center for displaced people on the outskirts of the town of Kohat, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on April 17, 2010.[1] At least 41 people were killed,[2] while another 64 more were injured. [3] The next day another suicide bombing at a police station killed 7 more and injured nearly two dozen.

April 2010 Kohat bombings
Part of War in North-West Pakistan
Location of Kohat District (highlighted in red) within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan
LocationKohat, Pakistan
DateApril 17, 2010
TargetIDP camp & police station
Attack type
Suicide bombing
Deaths58
Injured86
PerpetratorsLashkar-e-Jhangvi

Bombings

April 17

The bombings happened at the Kacha Pukha camp,[4] set up for internally displaced persons that had fled the Orakzai tribal area in north-west Pakistan near the Afghanistan border.[3] The victims were among 300 people[5] queued to register for aid at the camp.[6] The suicide bombers were reported to be wearing burqas,[7] and having set off their bombs within minutes of each other.[6] Most of the victims were from Baramad Khel and Mani Khel tribes who had fled fighting in Orakzai Agency.[8]

April 18

The next day another suicide bomber attacked a police station in response to military operations in Kohat killing 7 and wounding 21. The police chief of Kohat, Dilawar Khan Bangash, said: "It was a suicide attack. The target was a police station. The bomber exploded his vehicle on the back side of the police station. These incidents are a reaction to the military operation in the tribal areas."[9]

Responsibility

A Sunni militant organisation, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility.[10]

Response

In the aftermath of the bombings, the United Nations temporarily suspended operations assisting refugees in the Kohat region.[11] There are more than 200,000 internally displaced persons in the area of the incident.[12]

Pakistan's Defence Minister, Ahmad Mukhtar, called the attacks "highly barbaric and cowardly."[1]

See also

References
  1. "Pakistan twin bomb attack targets refugees". BBC News. BBC. 17 April 2010. Archived from the original on 19 April 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  2. Sajjad, Mohammad (17 April 2010). "Pakistan: Bombers kill refugees waiting for food". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  3. Rodriguez, Alex; Zulfiqar Ali (17 April 2010). "Suicide bombers kill 41 at refugee camp in northwest Pakistan". The Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  4. Ali, Lehaz (17 April 2010). "Burqa bombers kill 41 at Pakistan camp". AFP. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  5. Cassidy, Katie (17 April 2010). "Twin Explosions At Pakistan Displaced Camp". SKY News. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  6. Shah, Pir Zubair (17 April 2010). "Suicide Bombers Strike Refugees in Pakistan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 April 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  7. Maroney, Sean (17 April 2010). "41 Killed in Twin Suicide Bomb Attacks in NW Pakistan". Voice of America News. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  8. "At least 41 killed in explosions in Kohat". Dawn. 2010-04-17. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  9. "Deaths in Pakistan suicide attack". Al Jazeera. 18 April 2010. Archived from the original on 21 April 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  10. "Suicide bombs kill 50 in Pakistan". The Times. London. 18 April 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  11. Khan, Riaz (17 April 2010). "Suicide bombers kill 41 at Pakistani refugee camp". The Associated Press. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  12. Brulliard, Karin (18 April 2010). "2 suicide bombers kill at least 40 at Pakistani refugee camp". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
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