Huge explosions reported in Azam Warsak

The News International, Pakistan ^ | April 04, 2004

[NCjim]

PESHAWAR: Gloom and panic again gripped the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan after huge explosions, forcing the people to ran for cover and close their businesses.

A number of shops were reported to have been destroyed in the explosions on Saturday, with no causes immediately known. Neither officials from the political administration were available for comments nor access to the remote area was possible after the telephone lines went dead following the huge blasts.

Journalists based in Wana disclosed that as many as seven shops had been confirmed by locals to have been razed to the ground as a result of the explosions. The cause of the explosions, locals said, was not known. However, some reports suggested that the blasts started when something went wrong with a pickup loaded with heavy weapons and ammunition at Munawar Market.

Driver of the pick-up Hazrat Jan was reported to have received injuries. The blasts destroyed huge quantity of weapons and ammunition stockpiled by the shopkeepers. Unconfirmed reports said that more than 35 weapon shops were gutted after they caught fire amid claims by certain tribesmen that missiles and rocket shells flying from the shops hit areas like Shin Warsak, some 15 kilometres from Azam Warsak.

Meanwhile, commanders of the Mahsud tribal lashkar told a press conference in Wana that there were no foreigners in their area. The elders said that the lashkar combed the whole area but found no traces of terrorists hideouts. They extended full cooperation to the administration in maintaining law and order in their locality.

[NCjim]

However, some reports suggested that the blasts started when something went wrong with a pickup loaded with heavy weapons and ammunition at Munawar Market.

Not your average farmers' market...

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[Cvengr]

..the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan ..

I thought I knew my geography, but when I first read this I assumed this is perhaps how the new Muslim immigrants refer to the south of France and northern Spain.

[McGavin999]

You can't help but chuckle when you read something like this. Can you even imagine the amount of weapons and ammunitions in that market to cause an explosion like that? Isn't this the terrorist area of Pakistan?

[cricket]

"Gloom and panic again gripped the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan . . ."

I give up. . .

[expatpat]

A work-related accident I suppose. These guys are certainly well-armed for simple shop-keepers. I wonder who their cusstomers are? Taliban and AlQ perhaps?

[expatpat]

South W. is the area where the recent Paki seige took place.

[dynamitehack]

"Gloom and panic again gripped the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan . . ."


Map anyone???

[Husker24]

Driver of the pick-up Hazrat Jan was reported to have received injuries

It must not have been too huge of an explosion, if the guy lived.

[NCjim]

Here is a map for those of us whose geography lessons included Ceylon, Belgian Congo, etc. and are clueless as the world's place names change very quickly:

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I keep telling you guys this is just a wee bit north of South Shitizstan.

[dynamitehack]

Thank you, sir!

[dynamitehack]

Over by Ashcanistan!?!?!

[Esther Ruth]

Islamabad not on this map. How close to that city do you think?

[Screaming_Gerbil]

Waziristan (Pakistan)

About Waziristan

Waziristan Mountain tract, SW North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan; 4373 sq. m.; pop. (1961) 394,312; divided into South Waziristan (formerly Wana); lies along border of Afghanistan; inhabited by Wazirs, a Pathan tribe...

Maps of the region here:

http://www.khyber.org/maps.shtml

[NCjim]

You're welcome. It's from the BBC who I hope has a better grasp on world geography than CNN - remember this one?

[justshutupandtakeit]

I think its slogan is "Gunshow captial of Earth."

[NCjim]

From this map it looks like Islamabad is to the northeast...

[massatoosits]

Operators in the mist.

[StriperSniper]

Operators in the mist.

Heh, heh, heh, my first thought.

commanders of the Mahsud tribal lashkar told a press conference in Wana that there were no foreigners in their area.

That's what they think. ;-)