9 killed, 10 injured in SW Pakistan's suicide attack

ISLAMABAD, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Nine security personnel were killed and 10 others injured when a suicide bomber hit their vehicle in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Monday, officials said.

The incident happened in Bolan district where the bomber rammed his explosive-laden motorbike into the truck of paramilitary troops Balochistan Constabulary at the border area with Sibi district, District Police Officer of Sibi Yousuf Karim Bhanghar confirmed in talks with Xinhua.

"The truck with 22 troops onboard was targeted by the bomber near a flyover. An investigation has been kicked off into the incident," Bhanghar said.

He said that there had been certain threat alerts about the incident in the area, and security had already been beefed up in Sibi and Bolan districts, but the bomber succeeded in executing his plan on the outskirts of the city despite security measures.

Further investigation into the incident is underway to determine if the bomber received any inside information regarding the movement of the troops, he added.

He said that the injured troops have been shifted to a nearby hospital where two of them are in critical condition.

No group has claimed the attack yet.