7 Dec 2010

Dozens killed in Pakistan bombing

11:15 pm on 7 December 2010

A suicide bomb attack has killed at least 40 people in north-west Pakistan.

Two men disguised as police officers set off explosions in a government compound as officials met anti-Taliban allies.

Dozens of people have also been hurt in the attack, in Mohmand's main town of Ghalanai.

The attack took place near the Afghan border, in an area which is a stronghold of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, the BBC reports.

The military has launched offensives there but insurgent attacks continue on a regular basis.

About 25 seriously injured people have been taken to Peshawar for hospital treatment.

One of the possible targets of the attack, Mohmand's top political official, Amjad Ali Khan, was not hurt.

A Pakistan Taliban spokesman says the group carried out the Mohmand attack in response to what he said was the Pakistani government's decision to hand over Arab militants to the United States, Reuters reports.