Thursday, August 20, 2009

Bomb wounds 7 close to Pakistan capital

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan — A bomb exploded at a security checkpoint close to the Pakistani capital late Thursday, wounding seven people.
Pakistan is battling Islamist militants blamed for scores of bloody bombings over the last two years.
Authorities have been bracing for attacks after the reported death of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in an Aug. 5 CIA missile strike in a tribal region close to the Afghan border.
The blast took place at police checkpoint in Rawalpindi, a large garrison city 8 miles (13 kilometers) from the capital Islamabad.
Police officer Rana Shahid said four police and three civilians were wounded. The extent of their injuries was not known.
Shahid said the bomb had apparently been hidden close to the checkpoint and detonated by remote control or timer.
A white car belonging to a police officer was badly damaged in the attack.

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