Locals help the victims as first responders at the scene of the blast
(Image Adnan Bitani)
According to the Kurram Political Administration and military sources, a blast occurred today early Noon in Used/old Cloth market near the Bus Stand at Eidgah area of Parachinar, where because of the holiday there was a heavy rush of poor people. The attack left 25 dead and more than 50 injured. The seriously injured were shifted to Peshawar Lady Reading Hospital and other hospitals by helicopter.
Locals said no ambulance or any other Government Aid assistance reached in the immediate aftermath of the explosion. Only locals, tribal people went out to the blast spot to help and played their due role to take the wounded persons to the hospitals in Peshawar and Parachinar.
Militants Alleged Claims :-
Two different Militants groups Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Ansarul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for today’s blast in Parachinar. They warned,
“we have planned more similar attacks against the Shia community in Pakistan”
Lashkar-e-Jangvi:-
السلام علیکم! پاڑہ چنار عیدگاہ بازار پر حملے کی ذمہ داری قبول کرتے ہیں——-یہ حملہ شامی مسلمانوں کے خلاف ایران و بشارالاسد کی حمایت میں کیۓ گۓ جرائم کا بدلہ ہے—–ہم پاڑہ چنار کے روافض والدین کو خبردار کرتے ھیں اگر انھوں نے اپنے بچوں کو اس جنگ میں شمولیت سے نہ روکا تو مزید حملوں کے لیۓ تیار رھیں!!
ترجمان لشکرجھنگوی العالمی
علی بن سفیان–
Ansarul Mujahideen:-
Another group of militants, Ansarul Mujahideen also claimed credit for Parachinar blast. Spokesperson Abu Baseer told media persons via phone that the organisation was “very clear” about its mission, adding that “Shias are the enemies of Islam and we will continue to attack them in future. and we have done it and shown it”.
Ansar-ul-Mujahideen is a banned organization based in the Waziristan agencies. The militant organization has targeted security forces in Waziristan/Hango and Shia in Kurram in the past.
In July 2013 it conducted twin suicide attacks on the Shia community in Parachinar, killing 70 and injuring 180 more.
Adnan Bitani
Radio/TV Journalist
Links
“Pakistan: Police kill leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi group”
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad. She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”.
Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog 