Suspected Suicide Blast Kills 5 Near Islamabad

A suspected suicide bomber has detonated explosives near a military vehicle, killing five people near the Pakistani capital.
Officials say two military officers are among those killed in the Wednesday attack in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Investigators say the three other victims were civilians.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility but local officials blamed the Taliban.

The militant group has carried out similar attacks in the past.

In another deadly attack Wednesday, Pakistani officials say militants killed at least four soldiers when they fired on Pakistani checkpoints from across the border in Afghanistan.

At least three Pakistani soldiers were wounded in the cross-border shooting in Pakistan's Bajaur tribal agency.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and said it has raised the issue with the Afghan government in Kabul and with the country's embassy in Islamabad.

The ministry issued a statement saying, "Afghanistan must take concrete steps to stop the use of its territory against Pakistan."

Islamabad has lodged a formal protest on a separate attack on May 31 during which several suspected Taliban militants from across the border targeted Pakistani outposts, killing one soldier.

Afghan officials say Pakistani gunships retaliating against the attack crossed into Afghan territory and killed four civilians in the eastern province of Kunar.

Cross border militant attacks have led to significant tension between the neighboring countries.