39 killed in twin blasts in northwest Pakistan

At least 39 people were killed and 122 injured when two blasts ripped through a town in northwest Pakistan's restive tribal belt today in a sudden surge in violence against the minority Shia community.
Thirty-nine people were killed and 122 injured in the two explosions in the central market of Parachinar town in Kurram Agency, Express News reported.
The first explosion went off in a busy market and it was was followed by another on School Road in Parachinar. Both blasts occurred near Shia mosques, witnesses told the media.
The injured were taken to nearby hospitals and officials said several of them were in a serious condition.

A bomb-rigged motorcycle was used in the first attack.
The nature of the second blast could not immediately be ascertained.

Some sources said that the bombs used a timed device to detonate, and could be heard from most parts of the agency.
As many as 12 cars and several shops were also destroyed in the blasts.
Earlier in the day, two members of the Shia community were killed and six more injured when a pick-up truck hit a landmine near Khar Pata area of Kurram Agency.
Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks but the Taliban are active in the region and target civilians and security forces.

Hundreds of people have died over the past few years in clashes between rival Shia and Sunni tribesmen in Kurram Agency, located near the Afghan border.
Unlike other semi-autonomous tribal regions in northwest Pakistan, Shias are in a majority in Kurram Agency. Sporadic incidents of violence have rocked the region despite a fragile accord between the rival tribesmen.