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| Wagah border crossing (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Ankit Panda
The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack.
More than 50 people have been killed and at least 100 injured in a suicide attack in the village of Wagah — the only official land border crossing between India and Pakistan. According to reports, a lone suicide bomber detonated 25 kg of explosives near the border checkpoint between the two countries shortly after the conclusion of the well-known daily Wagah flag-lowering ceremony.According to the BBC, the Pakistani Taliban and at least one other group affiliated with al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack comes at a time of particularly heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Pakistani officials have confirmed that only the Pakistani side of the border was affected by the attack.
“A large number of people were returning after watching the Rangers flag ceremony at Wagah border when a suicide bomber blew himself up near one of the exit gates,” Inspector General of Punjab Police Mushtaq Sukhera told First Post. “The Rangers had made stringent security measures but it was difficult to check [for a] suicide bomber,” he added. One anonymous Pakistani intelligence official witnessed the attack and described “scattered bodies, injured men, women and children and smashed cars” at the scene. The Indian side of the Wagah border remains on high alert after the attack.
Read the full story at The Diplomat