3 bombings kill 15 in northwest Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Three separate bombings killed 15 people in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, and authorities investigated reports that a pilotless U.S. drone crashed elsewhere in the militant-plagued region bordering Afghanistan.

The bombings, coming days after gunmen attacked Sri Lanka’s visiting cricket team, were a fresh reminder of the militant threat in Pakistan, where Western leaders worry that a growing political feud could distract the government from tackling the extremists head on.

Al-Qaida and Taliban fighters are believed to use pockets of Pakistan’s northwest as bases to plan attacks on U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. The U.S. has used drones to fire missile strikes against militants in the area, prompting protests from Pakistani officials who say the attacks fuel anti-American sentiment.

Saturday’s reports of a drone crash came from Angoor Ada village in South Waziristan, a tribal region where the main Pakistani Taliban leader, Baitullah Mehsud, is based.

Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said authorities were investigating the reports. Two intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said their informants and agents had yet to locate wreckage.

The U.S. rarely discusses the missile operations, and the drones are believed to be CIA-operated. Col. Greg Julian, the top U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan, declined to comment on reports of the crash.

Militants have staged numerous attacks against Pakistani security forces in recent years, but one Saturday — a car bombing — was unusual in that a body was used to lure police, officials said.

Local police Chief Rahim Shah said police went to the Badaber area after an unidentified caller told them of a body in a parked car. Residents and police had recently evicted militants from the area, prompting threats of retaliation.

“They found the white car. They also saw a body inside, but when they were pulling it out, the car bomb went off,” Shah said. Seven police officers and a bystander were killed.