The death toll in northwest Pakistan's Kohat suicide blast mounted to 39 as six more bodies were recovered from under the rubbles of the destroyed building on Saturday, local TV channel reported.
According to Kohat police, 150 kilograms of explosives have been employed as a bomber rammed his explosive-filled vehicle with roadside markets in Kohat district Friday, leaving at least 39 people dead and 54 others injured, the private TV channel GEO News reported.
At least 24 deceased in the suicide attack have been laid to rest. At least nine bodies could not yet been recognized and their bodies are present at District Headquarters Hospital.
Meantime, an investigation team has been constituted to probe into the attack. The team has garnered clues from the blast site.
Police sources said a white-colored jeep was used in the suicide blast at the Kacha Paka market.
An extremist group "Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami" has claimed responsibility for the attack, a police officer said.
A spokesman for "Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami" Usman Haider phoned media organizations that the attack was revenge of the killing of a cleric Maulana Amin, who was killed in an air strike by the Pakistani forces a few months ago.
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2009)
