Nine killed in bombing in southwestern Pakistan

At least nine people were killed and over 40 others injured on Saturday in a bomb explosion targeting a vehicle transporting security forces in southwestern Pakistan.

According to local media reports, police authorities said the attack was carried out when a bomber riding on a bicycle blew his explosives near a car belonging to the paramilitary Frontier Corps in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan Province.

The blast left seven civilians and two members of the security forces dead.

"Two of our soldiers were killed in the bombing and 10 others were wounded," said a paramilitary spokesman whose name was not mentioned in the report.

Pro-Taliban militants in a statement claimed responsibility for the blast without releasing further details.

SS