BAJAUR AGENCY:  At least 24 people were killed and more than 40 others injured when a suicide blast ripped through a crowded bazaar  of khar in Bajaur tribal region on  Friday morning, official of the local administration said.

“The suicide bomber detonated his explosives as he approached near the post of the Bajaur levies forces where seniors official of the levies forces were gathered after the routine patrolling in the area.” an official of the local administration Haseeb khan told reporter.

After the blast local shop keepers and levies forces started rescues works and they recovered dead bodies and wounded from the debris.

The dead bodies and injured were immediately shifted to the Agency head qurter hospital khar while some of the critical wounded has been moved to Peshawar hospitals.

“two senior  official of the Local levies forces,  Subidar major Javeed khan a  Chief of Bajaur levies force and Subidar  Frazil Rabi  deputy  Chief of the levies forces among the dead , Political agent Bajaur Islam zeb told reporter after the blast.

He said that target of the attack were the two official of the levies forces because they were under threats from the miscreants.

“Apparently, the bomber was waiting for the head of police, and he rushed and jumped towards him when he was talking to other policemen at a check post," Islam Zep the administrative chief of Bajaur district said.

Condemning the attack , Islam zeb said that the miscreants don’t like peace and stability in the region , “ the administration will  never  forgiven the terrorist who were   responsible for the attack and  we will  tackle  with iron hand with the these brutal persons who were responsible the killing of innocents citizens,” he said .

He said that the killing of all but particularly of Two senior levies official were a big losses for the administration because they were a good contributor for the keeping peace in the region.

Sources said

At least ten persons including five official of the levies force were died on the spot while dozens majority of them were civilian were got seriously injured” an eye witness said  “Few mints ago from the blast official of the levies forces came in two Separate vehicles “when they were busy in talks with the levies men, a huge bomb blast was occurred near the post and soon after the blast the area was covered in blood and dead bodies,” he added .

The blast caused huge panic in the market area and all the shops and schools in the nearby areas have been closed following the blast.

A curfew was imposed in the area after the attack, trade centers, educational instiuations and other public offices were closed while the public transport was also suspended

The  Tahreek-e-Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, a spokesmen of TTP Ihsnaullah Ihsan called reporter from the undisclosed place  said that TTP was the responsible for the attack