Fresh Lahore suicide blasts kill 53

[Robb]

Source: Financial Times

At least 53 people were killed and more than 100 injured on Friday in two suicide attacks targeting army vehicles in Pakistan’s central city of Lahore, unleashing fresh concerns over pro-Taliban militants renewing their effort to target the country’s main population centres.

There have been five blasts this week alone, including a car bomb suicide attack on a police intelligence building in Lahore on Monday that killed 13 people, and a shooting and bombing at a US-based aid agency that killed 6 in the northwest.

On Friday two suicide bombers within seconds of each other attacked two army vehicles near Lahore’s Royal Artillery bazaar, located in a neighbourhood where the Pakistan army has numerous offices and residential accommodation for its officers and soldiers.

The casualties included at least six army personnel according to reports on Pakistan’s domestic TV channels. Mohammad Shafiq, a police officer in Lahore - the provincial capital of the populous Punjab province - told reporters that two suicide bombers “attacked two military vehicles within the space of 15 seconds” just before the afternoon prayers on the muslim sabbath.

Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/54eb4b74-2dba-11df-a971-00144feabdc0.html

---

53 dead, single-digit number for soldiers killed. That's remarkably indiscriminate.

[NJmaverick]

1. I really don't see how these attacks will benefit the Taliban

if anything it would seem to work against them. Killing civilians will only serve to create an intense hatred for the group.

[Robb]

2. "Better to be feared than loved" has always worked for them in the FATA

...Sending the same message in the big cities now.

[NJmaverick]

3. That's a pretty tough region, they don't get scared they get even

[MUAD_DIB]

4. The attacks will serve the Taliban if India sets its eye against Pakistan.

I think that is what they're trying to accomplish. War.

On edit: If India starts a war with Pakistan then Pakistan may become more unstable; allowing the Taliban the chance to seize control.

Far-fetched? Perhaps.

[OhioChick]

5. Third Bomb Hits Pakistan's Lahore City

LAHORE, Pakistan — DEVELOPING: Pakistani news reports say another bomb has exploded in the eastern city of Lahore, hours after twin homicide bombings killed at least 43 people and wounded about 100.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589089,00.html

[Flaneur]

6. Totally foreseeable. The Pakistani military has finally gone after the Talibs.

And given the US free rein to drop missiles on them. The Talibs are retaliating.

[cosmicone]

7. Chickens coming home to roost n/t

[OhioChick]

8. I figured that you'd be loving this. n/t

[ChromeFoundry]

9. Our resident Pakistani basher....

:eyes: