Pakistan: Parachinar suicide blast kills 26

According to sources, an explosion ripped through a market in Parachinar on Friday, killing at least 26 people and wounding dozens. The bomb exploded near a mosque as the main Friday prayers were taking place. A security official confirmed that the blast was caused by a suicide bomber. "It was a suicide attack. Five people were killed and 20 injured," a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Other officials could not confirm whether a suicide bomber was responsible. "We don t have exact details about the nature of the blast," said the top administration official for the region, Mohammad Anees. Parachinar is the main town in Kurram district, part of Pakistan s tribal belt on the northwestern border with Afghanistan.