shia killed in gilgit PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Gunmen dragged 20 Shiite Muslim travellers off a bus and killed them at point blank range in Pakistan on Thursday, the third such incident in six months, officials said. The attack happened in the northwestern district of Mansehra as the bus was travelling between Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the Pakistani army, and the mainly Shiite northern city of Gilgit. Officials said it was ambushed in the hills of Babusar Top, around 100 miles (160 kilometres) north of the capital Islamabad, although they differed over details of the incident. "Ten to 12 people wearing army uniform stopped the bus and forced some people off the bus," said Khalid Omarzai, administration chief in Mansehra. "After checking their papers, they opened fire and at least 20 people are reported to have been killed. This is initial information and the final toll may go up. They are all Shiites," he said. Local police official Shafiq Gul told AFP that the gunmen were masked, but said the victims were pulled from three separate vehicles in the district, which neighbours the Swat valley, a former Taliban stronghold. "They stopped three vehicles, searched them and picked up people in three batches of five, six and nine and shot them dead. They were all Shiites," he said. Mansehra police chief Sher Akbar Khan put the toll at 19, saying the attackers had worn military commando uniforms when they opened fire at around 6.00 am (0100 GMT). "They intercepted three buses ...

• published: 17 Aug 2012
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• author: sophiee11000