6 killed in Pakistan suicide attack to avenge commander death

PanARMENIAN.Net - A Pakistani Taliban suicide bomber rammed a car filled with explosives into a paramilitary camp innorthwestern Pakistan on Saturday, Dec 24, killing six soldiers in the second attack in as many days meant to avenge the killing of senior commander in a U.S. drone strike.

The blast caused a part of a building to collapse inside the Frontier Corps camp, which was located in Bannu town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said local police officer Tahir Khan. At least 19 soldiers were wounded in the attack, and rescue workers were searching for additional casualties, he said.

A Pakistani Taliban spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to The Associated Press. He said it was meant to avenge the death of commander Taj Gul in a U.S. drone strike in October in the South Waziristan tribal area, a key sanctuary for the militants.

Gul was the Pakistani Taliban's operational commander in South Waziristan and was responsible for many attacks against security forces, AP reported.