Women among dead as suicide attacker targets security convoy

        
A suicide bomber attacked a convoy carrying a paramilitary police commander in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least six people, including two women, police said.           

Abdul Majeed Marwat, who heads the Frontier Constabulary was the apparent target of the attack in the main northwest city of Peshawar.          

But according to police official Dost Mohammed Khan, Marwat was not injured in the attack.         

The dead included three members of the security forces and three civilians, said Khan.        

Two of the civilians were women.         

Over 15 people were wounded, said Khan.      

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.         

Peshawar is located on the border with Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal region, the main sanctuary for Taliban militants in the country.        

The Pakistani Taliban have carried out many bombings in the city and other parts of the country targeting both security forces and civilians.          

There is concern that the militants could step up the pace of attacks ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for May 11.


AP