3 children among 6 killed in suicide blast in Pakistan's North Waziristan

Peshawar, May 15

Three children and as many soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed in a suicide blast on Sunday in Pakistan’s restive North Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan, the Army said.

The incident occurred in the Miran Shah town, some 250 kilometre from here, the Army’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The children were aged between 4 and 11 years, it said, adding three soldiers also died in the incident.

“Intelligence agencies are investigating to find out about the suicide bomber and his handlers/facilitators,” the ISPR added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the suicide attack and expressed grief over the lives lost.

In a statement, he offered his condolences to the families of the children.

“The killers of innocent children are the enemies of both Islam and humanity. We will not sit idle until this brutality is eradicated,” he said, vowing to punish the facilitators of the attacker.

Taking to Twitter, PM Sharif wrote: “Blood of our soldiers and citizens is a debt on us that we will repay by eradicating terrorism from our country.”    

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also condemned the attack and offered her condolences.

According to Radio Pakistan, the minister said miscreants wanted to “destabilise law and order in the country”.