Asia-Pacific

Bomb kills 11 people in northwestern Pakistan

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-18 15:02

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan - A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol killed 11 people Tuesday in an area of northwestern Pakistan where many citizens fled last year to escape a large army offensive against the Taliban, police said.

The explosion, which killed three police officers and eight civilians, struck the patrol vehicle as it traveled through the town of Dera Ismail Khan, said Mohammed Aslam, a senior police official in the area.

The victims included a senior police officer in the area as well as his guard and driver, Aslam said. The civilians who were killed included two schoolchildren, he said. Another 15 people were wounded.

Thousands of people fled to Dera Ismast US and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Even though many fighters fled to North Waziristan following last year's big offensive, the military has been reluctant to expand its operations there for fear of blowback from militants who have historically focused their attacks in Afghanistan rather than Pakistan.