Six killed as suspected Sunni Muslims attack food convoy in Pakistan

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Suspected Sunni Muslim gunmen fired at dozens of trucks carrying food to Shiite villages in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, killing six people in an apparent sectarian attack, an official said. The 24-truck convoy was attacked as it passed through a Sunni area about 30 kilometers east of the town of Parachinar, said Attaur Rehman, a senior local government official. The attack killed four truck drivers and two bystanders and wounded 14 others, he said. Assailants set 14 trucks on fire, while security forces were able to safely take the remaining 10 trucks to Parachinar, Rehman said. He said paramilitary troops escorting the trucks returned fire, along with helicopters called in later. He said it was not known it there were any casualties among the gunmen. The trucks were carrying food destined for Shi'ite villages in the Shalozan Tangi area west of Parachinar. Troops were escorting the convoy because of sectarian tension in the area in recent weeks.