Terror comes back to Swat

PESHAWAR - At least 41 persons, including four personnel of the security forces, were killed and 53 others injured when a suicide bomber ripped through his explosive laden car into a military convoy near a check post in Alpori area of District Shangla on Monday.
Sources said that the suicide bomber blew himself up when it entered the busiest centre of Headquarter Alpori where the security forces had established the check post.
The intensity of the blast was so high that it was heard in the far-flung areas and badly mutilated the bodies of the security forces and other persons.
Soon after the blast the rescuers rushed to the blast site and contributed to retrieve the dead and injured from the site. All the injured persons were shifted to District Headquarter Hospital Shangla.
Majority of the injured persons are in critical condition and have also been shifted to Saidu Sharif Hospital, Swat.
Police and officials of the secret agencies also rushed to the blast site and cordoned off the area. They collected evidences and body parts of the suicide bomber.
Security forces have imposed unannounced curfew in the area and started search operation. Several key buildings including district Nazim office, DPO offices and courts are located in the area where the suicide bomber struck the check post of the security forces.
Talking to media, NWFP information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain confirmed that the attack was suicide, which resulted in the killing of 41 person including four personnel of the security forces.
Meanwhile NWFP Governor, Owais Ahmed Ghani, has strongly condemned the suicide bomb attack at Alpuri in District Shangla and expressed his deep shock and sorrow over the loss of precious lives. The Governor has described the incident as a highly cowardly act of terrorism.
Agencies add: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of life and property.
In separate messages, the President and the Prime Minister expressed their resolve not to be deterred by such acts of wanton terror saying the government remains committed to eliminate the extremists and terrorists.
Fighting also spilled into Shangla, where Taliban militants had infiltrated in a bid to impose Sharia across the northwest.
Alpuri was known to be a stronghold of fugitive Swat Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah, who remains at large, raising concerns that the Swat Taliban are regrouping in the northwest rugged mountains.