Suicide attacker kills 13 in Pakistan

Pakistani police say a suicide bomber has killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 50 others in the northwestern Swat Valley. This is the third deadly attack in Pakistan this week.

Police say Saturday’s attacker was in a rickshaw when he blew himself up at a security checkpoint in the town of Saidu Sharif. Officials say two soldiers and at least two policemen were among the dead.

On Friday, back-to-back suicide attacks killed at least 55 people in the eastern city of Lahore. Witnesses say the blasts targeted a convoy of military vehicles. At least 10 of the dead were soldiers.

Five smaller explosions were reported in Lahore following the attack, causing panic but no deaths.

On Monday, another suicide bombing in Lahore killed 13 people and wounded more than 80 others.

Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for the violence.

A spokesman for the group is reported as saying that more attacks will be carried out unless Pakistan’s army stops operations against Taliban fighters in the country’s tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.

The military action triggered a wave of deadly suicide and other attacks late last year, killing hundreds of people across the country. But the violence had significantly declined since the beginning of the new year. vOA