Twin truck bombings kill eight in Pakistan

Peshawar, Jan 29 (PTI) Militants attacked a strategictunnel in northwest Pakistan with two explosives-laden truckstoday, killing eight persons and injuring 14 more, officialssaid.

The Japanese-built Kohat tunnel, which linksKhyber-Pakhtunkhwa capital Peshawar to southern parts of theprovince, was first targeted with an explosives-laden truckthat entered the structure and blew up, police officials said.

In the second attack, an oil tanker packed withexplosives hit a check post manned by army and paramilitarypersonnel outside the tunnel.

The check post was empty but the blast hit a van thatwas behind the tanker, officials said.

Two women were among the eight persons who died in theattacks.

Four persons who sustained serious injuries were takento Peshawar while the others were admitted to hospitals inKohat.

Several cars in the tunnel were damaged by the firstblast, in which 500 kg of explosives was used.

The tunnel was closed after the attacks and securityforces cordoned off the area.

Officials said the attacks were aimed at damaging thetunnel, which had recently been reopened to 24-hour trafficafter being open only during the day because of the risk ofmilitant attacks.

Pro-Taliban militants had captured the tunnel on theIndus Highway in early 2008.

Security forces had then launched a major operationto flush out militants from the nearby Darra Adam Khel region.