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Pakistan bomber kills four police | |
(39 minutes later) | |
At least four policemen have been killed after a suicide car bomber targeted a checkpoint in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, police say. | |
Civilians are reported to be among at least 10 people - including several policemen - injured in the bombing. | Civilians are reported to be among at least 10 people - including several policemen - injured in the bombing. |
Senior police official Liaquat Ali said the attacker rammed his car into a police vehicle. | Senior police official Liaquat Ali said the attacker rammed his car into a police vehicle. |
The blast highlights the threat of militancy despite army offensives in the country's tribal regions. | The blast highlights the threat of militancy despite army offensives in the country's tribal regions. |
The army is attempting to flush out Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in the area. | The army is attempting to flush out Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in the area. |
"The vehicle was coming from the tribal area. It was full of explosives," Mr Ali told the AFP news agency by telephone. | "The vehicle was coming from the tribal area. It was full of explosives," Mr Ali told the AFP news agency by telephone. |
Police say that the officers killed were on "routine duty" when the bomber detonated explosives near the checkpoint. | Police say that the officers killed were on "routine duty" when the bomber detonated explosives near the checkpoint. |
Mr Ali said the attacker was apparently trying to make his way into the city but decided to set off his explosives when he was stopped. | Mr Ali said the attacker was apparently trying to make his way into the city but decided to set off his explosives when he was stopped. |
Militant hub | Militant hub |
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that police are relieved that what appeared to be a concerted effort to bomb a high-profile target was thwarted. | The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says that police are relieved that what appeared to be a concerted effort to bomb a high-profile target was thwarted. |
Our correspondent says that while militants are still striking in the north routinely, the frequency of their attacks is not the same as it was a few months ago. | Our correspondent says that while militants are still striking in the north routinely, the frequency of their attacks is not the same as it was a few months ago. |
No group has claimed Wednesday's attack, but the Taliban have carried out dozens of recent bombings. | No group has claimed Wednesday's attack, but the Taliban have carried out dozens of recent bombings. |
Civilians were killed in the attack | Civilians were killed in the attack |
Hundreds of people have been killed in militant attacks across Pakistan since the military launched operations against the Taliban last autumn. Peshawar has borne the brunt of this violence. | Hundreds of people have been killed in militant attacks across Pakistan since the military launched operations against the Taliban last autumn. Peshawar has borne the brunt of this violence. |
Peshawar is close to the Mohmand and Khyber regions, part of the semi-autonomous ethnic Pashtun tribal lands along the Afghan border which have become a global Islamist militant hub. | Peshawar is close to the Mohmand and Khyber regions, part of the semi-autonomous ethnic Pashtun tribal lands along the Afghan border which have become a global Islamist militant hub. |
The security forces have launched several major offensives in the north-west over the past year, with some success in clearing out insurgent strongholds. | The security forces have launched several major offensives in the north-west over the past year, with some success in clearing out insurgent strongholds. |
But the militants have fought back and carried out suicide and bomb attacks across the country, killing hundreds of people. | But the militants have fought back and carried out suicide and bomb attacks across the country, killing hundreds of people. |
In a separate development, two teachers are reported to have been kidnapped by suspected militants in Mohmand on Wednesday, hours after four members of a government-backed militia were killed and another abducted in a clash in the same region. | In a separate development, two teachers are reported to have been kidnapped by suspected militants in Mohmand on Wednesday, hours after four members of a government-backed militia were killed and another abducted in a clash in the same region. |