Pakistan Hotel Bombing Kills at Least 5

Car blast targeting civilians thought to be work of Taliban

(AP) - A car bomb exploded outside a crowded market in northwestern Pakistan today, killing at least 24 people and wounding more than 100. The blast, the third in as many days, appears to be the latest attack by militants avenging an army offensive along the Afghan border. More»

(NEWSER) - The death toll in the suicide attack on a luxury hotel in Pakistan rose to 11 with at least 70 injured, reports the Times of London. At least two foreigners were among the dead at the five-star Pearl Oriental in Peshawar, though no more specific IDs were available. Still no claim of responsibility, but authorities suspect it's a Taliban strike in retaliation for the military offensive in Swat Valley. More»

Tells residents to flee after blasts in two more cities kill 11

(NEWSER) - The Taliban claimed responsibility for bombings in two more Pakistani cities today that killed at least 11 and promised that more attacks were on the way, the New York Times reports. The group also took credit for yesterday's bombing in Lahore that killed 26, calling the new wave of assaults retaliation for the government crackdown in the Swat valley. More»

Suicide bomber hits mosque during Friday prayers

(AP) - A suicide bomber struck a mosque in a Pakistani tribal region during Friday prayers, officials said, killing at least 40 people and wounding 85 others in the deadliest attack in the country in recent weeks. Some 300 people had gathered for prayers this afternoon in the Sunni mosque, and many were on their way out when the explosion occurred. "All the evidence we have gathered confirms that it is a suicide attack," a local official said. More»

Young boys describe how they were led into terror

(NEWSER) - Last weekend, the Afghan intelligence service paraded five young boys—some not yet adolescents—in front of reporters and photographers to send a clear message: "The Taliban are recruiting children in their ranks and using them to carry out suicide attacks in Afghanistan," a spokesman said. One 9-year-old says his mullah promised that “when we carried out our suicide attacks, all the people around us would die, but we would stay alive.” He traveled from Pakistan into Afghanistan with three other boys, but instead of being met at the border by members of the Taliban, they were picked up by Afghan intelligence officials who were tipped off to the plan, the AP reports. More»