A suicide bombing killed at least 19 people, including 11 policemen, in Pakistan's tribal region near the Afghan border Wednesday, an official said.The bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into a vehicle carrying the policemen in the tribal district of Khyber along a main highway leading to Afghanistan, said Sajid Khan, an official of the local administration.
According to Khan, eight security personnel from the tribal police, locally called Khasadar Force, and five civilians died on the spot in the bombing, said Khan.
Among those killed was Zarmat Khan, an officer who was recently honored with an award by the government for his efforts against Islamist insurgents.
Six more people - three policemen and three civilians - who were injured in the blast succumbed to their injured at a hospital hours later.
Khyber is plagued with Islamist militancy and has seen several deadly clashes between the Taliban fighters and government forces in the past. The rugged area hosts the main supply route for Western forces stationed in landlocked Afghanistan.
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