A suicide bomber tore thorough a bustling market in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing 12 people including a mayor, who is now believed to be the target of the bombers. The incident took place in the north west region of Pakistan. The marketplace that is located in the town of Adazai, some  16 kilometers away from the main city of Peshawar was in full swing with shoppers storming t he marketplace as the holy festival of Eid approaches.

Among the dead was the local mayor, Abdul Malik who is known to be an anti Taliban government official. The initial reports had suggested that, mayor Malik had survived, but his demise was later confirmed by a high level official in Peshawar. In his history with the Taliban, mayor Abdul Malik suits the examples of bad turning into good as at one time, he was himself a Taliban fighter, but later, due to reasons unknown, Mr. Malik went anti-Taliban, so much so that he even created his personal militia to fight off the Taliban.

As per the city officials, the bomb that ripped through the marketplace, claimed the life of a young girl who is one of the eleven people who died in today’s attack. 25 others have also been injured and have been rushed to thew hospital, where most of the injured are said to be in critical condition. According to an eyewitness,

“That place turned into a hell where the dead and injured were lying everywhere and blood and flesh were spread around. Now we have our blood in this war.”

The recent numerous terrorist attacks targeting civilian and military infrastructure have so far claimed the lives of more than 300 people and are believed to be in retaliation to the ongoing Pakistani military offensive campaign in South Waziristan against the Pakistan Taliban, Al Qaeda and the other terror elements.

Via Associated Press.