At least three people were killed and 19 wounded when a suicide bomber rammed his car packed with explosives into a US government 4x4 in the Pakistani city of Peshawar today.
TV footage showed the US vehicle completely burned out with the wrecked car of the suicide bomber nearby.
Two Americans and two Pakistanis working at the US consulate in Peshawar were among the wounded, said a US embassy official.
He denied Pakistani police reports that Americans had been killed in the attack.
Peshawar is near Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal region, the main sanctuary for Taliban and al Qaeda militants in the country.
The city has been hit by scores of bombings in recent years, but attacks against American targets are relatively rare because of the extensive security measures taken by the US government.
The 4x4 with security escort had left the US consulate and was travelling through an area that hosts various international organisations, including the United Nations, said police officer Pervez Khan.
Irfan Khan, a local resident, said: “I quickly looked back in panic to see smoke and dust erupt from the scene. I ran toward the scene along with others and saw two vehicles destroyed and the larger vehicle on fire.”
One dead person was on the ground near the car, and a foreigner was injured, said Mr Khan.
Police officer Javed Khan said a vehicle arrived, presumably from the US consulate, and took away the injured foreigners.
