Taliban attack kills 14 in Pakistan

A bomb placed roadside by Taliban killed 14 people on Sunday in northern Pakistan, after the passage of an exploding truck carrying villagers to a market near the border with Afghanistan, police said. A Taliban spokesman in Pakistan said the attack, which occurred in the Lower Dir, in Jandul, was in revenge for the formation by some residents of a pro-government militia. He added that such actions would continue. "We have informed the implications of supporting the government, but have continued to support the government forces," said Taliban spokesman Ahmad Sirajudin by telephone from an undisclosed location. A government official in the area said the dead were all civilians and that none were members of the militia or the armed forces or. Police said three women and three children were among the dead and seven people were injured. Support for the Taliban has fallen in parts of the north, according to analysts, in part because their bloody campaigns have claimed many lives of civilians. Since 2009, the Army has increased its control in many tribal areas of Pakistan but insurgent attacks remain common.