Taliban suicide bomber kills senior Pakistani police officerNovember 7, 2012 - 13:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A Taliban suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying a senior Pakistani police officer on Wednesday, Nov 7, killing him and four other people in the country's northwest, police said, according to The Associated Press. The bomber detonated his explosives as Hilal Hyder's vehicle was passing through a crowded market in the city of Peshawar, said police officer Asif Iqbal. Hyder, who was investigating cases against militants in the troubled northwest, was killed along with two of his guards and two bystanders, said Iqbal. At least 37 other people were wounded. Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying Hyder was working against the militant group. "We killed him today in Peshawar because he was behind the arrest of some of our fighters," Ahsan told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location. The Pakistani Taliban have been waging a bloody insurgency for the past several years because they oppose the Pakistani government's alliance with the United States and want to enforce Islamic law throughout the country. Peshawar has experienced many attacks because it is located on the edge of Pakistan's tribal region, the main sanctuary for militants in the country. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |