‘Miracle’ as guests survive Bannu suicide bomb: police

PESHAWAR: A teenage suicide bomber blew himself up at a gathering in Bannu district on Thursday, but guests escaped unhurt in the attack in a Taliban-troubled region, police said.

Senior police official Mohammad Ayub told AFP it was a ‘miracle’ that no one was wounded or killed in the bombing in Essakkhel village, which lies near militant strongholds of North and South Waziristan.

‘A young boy aged 13 or 14 blew himself up in the middle of guests who were visiting the house of a local political leader to congratulate him on performing the hajj,’ Ayub said.

‘It was just a miracle that nobody was hurt in the attack,’ he said.

The boy was killed by his suicide vest, but police said it was possible that not all the explosives detonated, while a hand grenade the bomber was carrying was also defused at the scene.

Suicide bombings are frequently carried out by young teenagers, who the military allege are brainwashed by militants. —AFP