At Least 10 Killed In Explosion In Pakistani Capital

Islamabad, Pakistan (AHN) - At least 10 Pakistani policemen died in a suicide bomb attack in the capital city of Islamabad, officials said.

The suicide bomb attacker struck near a police station, where policemen were targeted as several reportedly were injured.

Police were actually deployed at a rally near Pakistan's Red Mosque, where thousands of Islamists were gathered to observe the first anniversary of a deadly military crackdown on the radical mosque.

The security forces had stormed the mosque a year ago to evict militants who had taken sanctuary within its complex, killing more than 100 people during clashes.

"The blast happened 15 minutes after the meeting dispersed. A heavy contingent of police was at a main crossing several hundred meters from the mosque and they were targeted in the attack," a senior security official told the AFP news agency.

More than 3,000 people gathered on Sunday had been demanded that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf be publicly hanged and reportedly chanted, "Killer, killer, Musharraf is a killer."

The explosion followed the recent major offensive operation carried out against Taliban fighters in the tribal north western city.

Pakistani forces reportedly attacked suspected militant hideouts as a part of a clean-up operation in a tribal district outside the northwestern provincial capital of Peshawar.

Khyber tribal area is the country's most volatile region that has experienced rise in the number of militant activities in the past few months

A few threats were released consistently after the operation.