Aftermath of bomb targeting a bus in Peshawar (Image, AFP) 

The city of Peshawar in Pakistan has been hit by an explosion targeting a Civil Secretariat bus carrying government employees from Mardan to the provincial capital according to Dawn media. The attack took place in the vicinity of Sunehri Masjid killing at least 15 people with another 25 wounded. Two women and a child were among the casualties.

The Guardian reported,

“It’s premature to comment about the nature of the blast but it appears that explosives were planted inside the bus,” said Mohammad Kashif, a senior police official in the north-west frontier city.

“There were 40-50 people on the bus.”

Khalid Khan cyberjournalist stated “Bomb Disposal Unit says up to 8 kg explosive used in Peshawar bus blast, 15 killed, 30 injured. He added, “3 Pakistan Air Force employees, injured in Peshawar bus blast, shifted to Combined Military Hospital.” Ayesha Tanzeem said that Lady Reading hospital had received 39 injured and 10 dead bodies and that some were “critically injured”.

Shabbir Hussain Imam posted a tweet saying,

Blast on Sonehri Masjid Rd inside Cantonment raise question of security in #Peshawar. Seems militants still capable for more such strikes!

Dr Arif Alvi, Member National Assembly of Pakistan tweeted,

I condemn the blast in Peshawar bus. May the souls of the dead rest in peace and perpetrators brought to justice

No-one has claimed responsibility for the blast

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”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”