Bombers killed by police, but accidental detonation of one suicide jacket led to death of two civilians.
Tribal police on Wednesday prevented two suicide bombers from blowing themselves up inside a packed football ground in the tribal region near the Afghan border, officials said. However, one of the bombers managed to blow himself up outside the ground and the second died at the scene after being shot by police, during the attack that also killed two civilians.
The incident happened in the Shia-dominated Alizai area of lower Kurram Agency where a football match was being played between local teams.
“The local tribal police opened fire on the two bombers as they tried to enter the ground, foiling their attempt to cause massive devastation,” said top local administration official Amjad Ali Khan. Two police official were injured in the attack, he added.
Paramilitary official Ali Husain Turi also confirmed the incident and casualties.
Kurram is one of the seven autonomous tribal districts bordering Afghanistan where Islamist militants rose up against the Pakistani state in 2004. Pakistan began a long-awaited push to clear insurgent bases from the North Waziristan last June after a bloody Taliban attack on Karachi airport finally sank faltering peace talks.