Dozens die as Pakistan bombs village in battle with militants
Pakistani aircraft bombed a village bazaar packed with shoppers near the Afghan border Tuesday, pushing the death toll to 250 in four days of fighting, the deadliest clashes since Pakistan threw its support behind the U.S.-led war on Al Qaeda and the Taliban in 2001.
The attack on the village of Epi in the North Waziristan tribal region killed dozens of Islamic militants and civilians and was likely to harden domestic opposition to President Pervez Musharraf’s alliance with Washington.
Epi area residents said a dozen explosions destroyed shops and homes. Grocery shop owner Abdul Sattar said he counted more than 60 dead and more than 150 wounded, including many civilians.
Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad said that military aircraft targeting militant hide-outs struck “one or two places” outside Epi and that residents reported about 50 militants were killed.
He said the airstrikes might have killed some civilians living in areas where militant hide-outs were targeted, but he had no numbers.
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