Series of bombings and attacks hit northern Pakistan

In Pakistan today, a series of bombings and attacks hit the northwest part of the country.  A bomb blast in Lower Dir killed at least 30 people. Dawn News reports that the bombing took place during an open-air gathering organized by a secular political party, the Awami National Party. The gathering was to celebrate a recent proposal to change the name of the North-West Frontier Province. A police chief in the area told AFP that the origin of the blast was being investigated, but that evidence so far indicates that it was a suicide attack.

Meanwhile, in Peshawar, militants attacked the US consulate.

A video posted on the BBC showed blasts and uniformed gunman firing into plumes of smoke as others carried the injured to safety. The consulate called it a "coordinated attack" that  "involved a vehicle suicide bomb" and militants attempting to enter the building using grenades and weapons fire. The consulate also said two Pakistani security guards employed by the embassy were killed and others were seriously injured.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. A Taliban spokesperson told AFP by phone that the attacks were "revenge for drone attacks" in the area and that the group planned to carry out more attacks to target "any place where there are Americans."