Tags: Blast , Islamabad , Pakistan

Islamabad, Nov 21: Five persons, including a local tribal chief, were killed in a suspected suicide bomb blast at a mosque in a troubled northwestern Pakistani region bordering Afghanistan.

Malik Rehmatnullah Khan, an anti-militant tribal elder and four others were killed when the bomber struck at a mosque in the Bajaur tribal region, witnesses and officials said.

The slain tribal chief and others were offering evening prayers when the device went off, witnesses said.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack. But authorities blame such attacks on local Taliban militants.

Khan was leader of Mamond tribal 'lashkar' (army), who have launched a drive to expel militants from their areas.

Three persons were also injured in the attack, who were taken to a hospital in Khar, the main city of Bajaur tribal agency.

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