Pakistan bomb attack kills 10 at funeral

A bomb attack killed at least 10 people and wounded 40 at the funeral for a Shia Muslim today in northwest Pakistan.

A bomb attack killed at least 10 people and wounded 40 at the funeral for a Shia Muslim today in northwest Pakistan.

The attack in the town of Dera Ismail Khan sparked an outbreak of shooting around the hospital where the dead and wounded were brought, and police fired tear gas in an attempt to restore order, according to journalists.

The funeral was for a man killed on Thursday, but a Shia cleric was also killed this morning before the funeral.

"One of our men was martyred yesterday and one today. We were taking the coffin to the graveyard, reciting mourning hymns, when suddenly this blast happened," one of the mourners, told Reutersl.

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Witnesses gave conflicting accounts on whether the blast was caused by a suicide bomber or a device planted on the funeral procession's route.

Sectarian violence between militant Sunni Muslim and Shia groups has plagued Dera Ismail Khan, a district bordering the South Waziristan tribal region, where support runs deep for the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

A suicide bomber targeted a Shia protest against the killing of one of their community leaders in Dera Ismail Khan on August 19th, killing 23 people.

Reuters