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Suicide Bomber Strikes Pakistani Checkpoint


Police in northwestern Pakistan say a suicide bomber has struck near a police checkpoint, killing at least 10 people.

Authorities said the bomber was riding a motorcycle when he detonated his explosives in the town of Swabi, about 70 kilometers northwest of the capital, Islamabad.

The blast came around the time a hardline politician was passing through the area. Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema Islam party was not harmed, and authorities said it is not clear if he was targeted in the attack. He was set to address a public meeting nearby.

The bombing killed at least one police officer and wounded at least 15 other people.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad condemned Wednesday's attack, saying violent extremists have shown "they will attack anyone, regardless of religion, ethnicity or ideology, to terrorize the nation."

Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

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