Bomb planted in bus kills 8 passengers in Pakistan

[April 13, 2013]  PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- A bomb planted in a bus killed at least eight passengers and wounded seven others in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, police said.

The explosion happened when the bus was passing through a crowded bazar on its way from Peshawar to a nearby town, police official Fazal Wahid Khan said.

He said the dead and injured included women and children, and authorities had transported them to a government hospital.

Bus driver Jehanghir Khan, who was not hurt, told reporters that the device had been planted under a seat.

"I didn't see any suspicious person. I don't know who planted this bomb. I was passing through the bazar of Matni when I suddenly heard the blast," he said. He said the blast damaged some shops nearby, as well as the bus.

No one immediately claimed responsibility.

Peshawar is the capital of troubled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. Security forces have carried out several offensives against Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups there.

[Associated Press; By RIAZ KHAN]

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