At Least Six Dead and 90 Wounded in Pakistan Bomb Blast
At Least Six Dead and 90 Wounded in Pakistan Bomb Blast
A bomb at a procession of Shia Muslims in Pakistan killed at least six and wounded another 90 on Sunday, taking the death toll from a week of Taliban blasts against the group to more than 30.
The bomb detonated as hundreds of Shia worshippers paraded through the north western city of Dera Ismail Khan to commemorate the holiday of Ashura.
The bomb was made of 17lbs of explosive laced with steel balls and appeared to have been planted in a shop along the procession route, according to police.
The Pakistani Taliban frequently attack Shias, who they consider heretics. Shia Muslims use Ashura to mourn the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, and men often flagellate themselveswith chains and knives as an act of penance.
Large crowds drawn by the festival have become a prime target for Sunni extremists.
A similar bombing killed seven and injured 30 on Saturday, and last week a Taliban suicide bomber struck a procession in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, killing 17.