A suicide blast Sunday evening killed nine persons and wounded 23 others in an area of Pakistani northern scenic valley, the army said. Taliban-linked militants have claimed responsibility for the attack. A suicide bomber bombed his vehicle at a petrol pump on Kas Road in Mingora area of Sawat valley, said the army in a statement. It said the attack killed nine people including four security personnel and injured 23 others including 13 servicemen.| Siraj-u-Din, the purported spokesman of Taliban-linked Maulana Fazlullah, made telephone calls to the local press club in Sawat and claimed responsibility for the attack. |
Security forces had been carrying out operation against Fazlullah and his supporters since last month in Sawat. They have claimed killing over 300 militants and arresting an equal number of others including foreigners of Uzbek and