Firing in Islamabad: two dead, suicide bomber flees

Islamabad, October 22: Terror struck Islamabad again Thursday with a suicide bomber and police exchanging fire at a court here while two army personnel, including a brigadier, were shot dead in another incident.

An eyewitness told Geo News that a suicide bomber wearing a blanket reached the court Thursday. But an alert police official spotted his suicide jacket and opened fire. The bomber managed to flee.

Earlier in the day, a Pakistan Army brigadier and his driver were shot dead while another soldier sustained injuries when two men opened fire at their jeep here.

The attack by the armed men riding a motorcycle took place when the army jeep was passing through G-11 sector where senior army officials stay.

Eyewitnesses said the terrorists, aged between 22 to 25 years, managed to flee after carrying out the deadly ambush, Geo TV reported.

Television footage showed the jeep with around a dozen bullet holes in its windscreen.

A police official said the dead include Brigadier Moin.

Just three days ago, two suicide bombers Tuesday blew themselves up in the International Islamic University, killing seven people.

More than 160 people have been killed in the latest wave of militant violence, which started with a suicide bombing at the offices of the United Nations World Food Programme in Islamabad Oct 5. Five employees of the agency were killed.

The most audacious attack came on Oct 10 when 10 terrorists in military uniform laid siege to the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. At least 19 people, including nine raiders, died in the 22-hour standoff. One militant was arrested.

On Oct 15, gunmen wearing suicide vests storming two police academies and the offices of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency in the eastern city of Lahore. A car bomber struck a police station in the northwestern town of Kohat. In all, at least 38 people including 11 insurgents were killed on a single day.

–Agencies