U.S. Diplomatic Vehicle Rammed by Suicide Bomber in Pakistan
A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into an SUV belonging to the United States Consulate in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Monday morning in one of the most brazen attacks against Americans in the country in recent years, Pakistani and American officials said.
There were conflicting reports about the number and nationality of the casualties. Pakistani officials said at least two people were killed and at least 13 were injured. The United States Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the attack but denied that any American was killed in the assault. A statement by the embassy stated that “no U.S. Consulate personnel were killed.”
“Two U.S. personnel and two Pakistani staff were injured,” the embassy said.
A senior Pakistani government official said that two Pakistanis were killed but denied an earlier statement by local officials that Americans had also died.
“The Americans were traveling in an armored SUV and survived the attack,” the Pakistani official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official said an American backup vehicle immediately retrieved the wounded Americans and took them to the consulate.