2008 Wah bombing

Infobox terrorist attack
title=2008 Wah bombing


caption=
location=Wah, Pakistan
target=Pakistan Ordnance Factories
date=21 August 2008
time-begin=
time-end=
timezone=UTC+5
type=Suicide attacks
fatalities=60–70,cite news|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSISL7137320080821|title=Blasts near Pakistan arms plant kill 59|last=Anthony|first=Augustine|date=2008-08-21|work=Reuters|accessdate=2008-08-21] cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/world/asia/22pstan.html|title=64 in Pakistan Die in Bombing at Arms Plant |last=Perlez|first=Jane|date=2008-08-22|work="The New York Times"|accessdate=2008-08-22] cite news|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jIE0IUn4WIiaMBpjG8SI_6H5RXzgD92N4IA00|title=Suicide bombers kill 67 at Pakistani arms factory|last=McDowell|first=Robin|date=2008-08-22|work=Associated Press|accessdate=2008-08-22] reported as high as 100+ (CNN)cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/21/pakistan.blast/index.html|title=Pakistan: 100 die in 'Taliban' suicide bombings|date=2008-08-21|work=CNN International|accessdate=2008-08-21]
injuries=100+
susperps=
perps=The 2008 Wah bombing was a double suicide attack on the Pakistan Ordnance Factories in Wah, Pakistan, on 21 August 2008. The attack, which killed at least 60 and wounded over 100, is the deadliest on a military site in Pakistan's history. A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban said they had carried out the attacks, which he said were a response to army violence against militants in the country's north-west.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7574267.stm|title=Pakistan bombers hit arms factory |date=2008-08-21|work=BBC|accessdate=2008-08-21]

Background

The Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) in Wah, Pakistan, is the center of the country's defence industry. Nearly 25,000 workers are employed there to produce explosives, weapons and other conventional arms and ammunition.

Since July 2007, the northwest region of Pakistan, has been the site of a wave of militant violence, in which hundreds of militants and Pakistani security force members have been killed. Violence in the region had subsided after the new coalition government, which came to power after the February 2008 general election, had begun talks with tribal leader Baitullah Mehsud. However, violence resumed when Mehsud suspended talks in June. Following an impeachment movement launched by major opposition parties, the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf resigned on 18 August 2008, ending his nine years as head of the country.cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/world/asia/19pstan.html?ref=asia|title=In Musharraf’s Wake, U.S. Faces Political Disarray|last=Perlez|first=Jane|date=2008-08-19|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2008-08-21]

Responsibility

Maulvi Omar, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, said his group the Tehrik-e-Taliban had carried out the attacks, which he said were in response to military operations against militants in the Bajaur regioncite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/21/pakistan.blast/index.html|title=Pakistan: 100 die in 'Taliban' suicide bombings|date=2008-08-21|work=CNN International|accessdate=2008-08-21] which began on 6 August 2008 and has cost the lives of perhaps hundreds of civilians and forced some 300,000 people to flee from their homescite news |first= James |last= Cogan |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Military offensive displaces 300,000 in north-west Pakistan |url= http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/aug2008/paki-a23.shtml |work= |publisher= World Socialist Web Site |date= 23 August 2008 |accessdate=2008-08-24 ] . He warned that if the Pakistani government continues operations there, "we will continue such attacks". He further stated that the "Wah factory is a killer factory where arms are being produced to kill our women and children."

Government response

In a message, Dr Fahmida Mirza, Speaker of the National Assembly, and Faisal Karim Kundi, Deputy Speaker, said it was a barbaric act of terrorism, which reflected inhumane and callous nature of the perpetrators. They said that a few misguided people were trying to disrupt peace in the country and derail the peaceful democratic process but they will not succeed in their nefarious designs. They said the criminals behind attacks were playing with the lives of innocent people without realizing that they cannot save themselves from the wrath of Allah. [http://www.aaj.tv/news/National/114378_detail.html Fahmida, Kundi condemn Wah bomb blasts]

The United Nations Security Council met at 17:55 New York Time to officially condemn the terrorist attacks.UN document |docid=S-PV-5964 |date=21 August 2008 |type=Verbatim Report |body=Security Council |meeting=5964 |accessdate=2008-08-23]

ee also

*List of terrorist incidents, 2008

References