Suicide blast at school kills student in Hangu

A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a government school in northwest Pakistan on Monday, killing a teenaged student and injuring two others whereas two cops were killed and another injured in separate incidents in Peshawar's Matani and Kohat Road areas.

The bombing of the boy's school took place in the Shia-dominated Ibrahimzai area of Hangu district and has not yet been claimed by any group.

“A suicide bomber blew himself up near the main gate of a Government Boys school, killing a young student aged 14,” district police chief Iftikhar Ahmed told Dawn.com, adding that the suicide bomber attempted to enter the school when he was spotted by a student.

Ahmed further said that the student tried to stop the attacker at the main gate, where he blew himself up, killing the student on the spot.

Locals added that bomber struck as students were disembarking from school-vans. The explosion also damaged the gate of the school premises.

A local intelligence official also confirmed the incident.

Hangu borders Orakzai tribal region, one of Pakistan's seven lawless tribal districts on the Afghan border considered to be the hub of Taliban and al Qaeda linked militants.

The district also has a history of sectarian violence and was declared a “sensitive region” during the month of Moharram.

In another incident, a bomb targeted a Government Girls school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bannu district.

The explosives were planted outside the girls school, which blew up with a huge bang and partially damaged the school building.

There was no loss of life reported in the incident.

The Taliban have blown up hundreds of schools, especially for girls, as part of a campaign against secular education in northwest Pakistan in recent years.

But it is not clear whether the latest incident is connected to the militant group or sectarian unrest.