Suicide bomber kills 15 on bus

A suicide bomber blew up a bus in north-west Pakistan yesterday, killing 15 people in the third attack this week. The blast, like the earlier ones, took place close to the border regions with Afghanistan, the stronghold of Islamist militants threatening the stability of nuclear-armed Pakistan.

The bomber destroyed a passenger bus at a station in a market area of Kohat city. It was unclear whether the attacker was on board. The attack was on the first day of the Islamic month of muharram, which often sees attacks by Sunni extremists on Shia Muslims.