Pakistan - suicide bomb

Bomber kills at least 19 outside courthouse

Article published on the 2009-11-19 Latest update 2009-11-19 12:18 TU

Police and rescue workers are seen at the site of the suicide bomb blast outside a court house in Peshawar on Thursday
(Photo: Reuters)

A suicide blast in Peshawar on Thursday killed 19 people in what was the sixth attack on the city in 11 days. Officials said an attacker on foot tried to enter the city’s court buildings and when he was stopped by security, he blew himself up.

The main gate of the complex was uprooted in the blast. Three police officers were among the dead.

Officials upped an earlier death toll after three people died in hospital of their injuries. 

The court is close to the Pearl Continental Hotel, which was attacked in June by gunmen, and Thursday's attack comes three days after a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb in a Peshawar suburb and killed four people.

The north-western city is located close to the Afghan border, with a population of 2.5 million people.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has admitted to several attacks in the past, and has threatened violence in response to the army's assault in South Waziristan, which is in its fifth week.

The TTP claimed responsibility for last Saturday’s attack in Peshawar that killed 15, and another attack on Friday that killed 15.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani says the army has defeated many fighters in South Waziristan.