34 die in blasts in Pakistan

Associated Press

PESHAWAR, Pakistan

Two explosions went off minutes apart in the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar today, killing 34 people and injuring nearly 100 in one of the deadliest attacks since the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden last month, officials said.

The blasts, one of which was caused by a suicide bomber, occurred just after midnight in an area of the city that is home to political offices and army housing.

The attack took place as CIA Director Leon Panetta and Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Islamabad, 95 miles to the east, to speak separately with senior Pakistani officials about intelligence sharing and efforts to reconcile with the Taliban.

The first explosion was relatively small and drew police and rescue workers to the site, said Dost Mohammed, a senior local police official. A large explosion rocked the area a few minutes later, causing the fatalities and injuring 98 people, 18 critically, said Rahim Jan, a senior doctor at a local hospital.

The second blast was caused by a suicide bomber riding a motorcycle packed with 22 pounds of explosives, said Ejaz Khan, a senior police official.

No group claimed responsibility, but the Pakistani Taliban have pledged to carry out attacks in retaliation for the U.S. Navy SEAL raid that killed bin Laden in an army town outside Islamabad on May 2.