16 killed in Pakistan market bomb attack

A bombing in a Pakistani market close to the Afghan border killed 16 people today, a day after the US released a letter written by Osama bin Laden that criticised similar attacks for killing too many civilians.

Five of the dead in the Bajur region blast were local security force members, including one who had received an award for bravery in fighting Islamist militants, government administrator Abdul Haseeb said.

The others were passers-by. At least 40 people were wounded.

The Pakistani Taliban or allied groups will be suspected in the attack.

The group, which is battling for control of the region, has killed and wounded thousands of people since 2009, many of them civilians in markets or mosques.

Yesterday, the US released 17 letters seized from the compound of al Qaida chief Osama bin Laden by American commandos after they had killed him one year ago.

In one of them, Bin Laden complains about the actions of the Pakistani Taliban, which he says was mistaken to plant bombs in markets and mosques that kill civilians.