Six killed in Pakistan suicide bomber blast

A suicide bomber blew himself up close to a police van in north-west Pakistan today, killing six people and injuring 17 others, police said.

The blast happened in Bannu, close to the Afghan border, said officer Nawaz Khan.

He said initial reports suggested the attacker was on foot.

Police officer Iftikar Khan said one of the six victims was a police officer, while the rest were civilians.

A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility.

Islamist militants seeking to topple Pakistan's US-allied government have carried out scores of attacks across the country, killing thousands, over the last four years.

The military has launched offensives in the north-west where the insurgents are based, but the attacks have continued.