By Xinhua
Islamabad : At least 10 soldiers were killed and several wounded Thursday when a blast rocked a security officers’ building at Tarbela in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) close to capital Islamabad, TV channels reported.
Geo TV reported that the blast, believed to be a suicide attack, occurred in a dining area of the military commandos ‘Special Services Group’ at Tarbela, about 50 km northwest of here.
The bomber blew himself up when the soldiers were having dinner, the report said, adding that around 25 security personnel were injured in the blast and the death toll might rise.
Army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad confirmed the killing of 10 security men and said a probe would be conducted to determine the cause of the blast.
The explosion disrupted the communication system in the region and the security forces cordoned off the area after the blast.
No group has claimed responsibility for the incident yet.
The incident comes a day before the Muslim fasting month of Ramzan begins Friday, even as security arrangements in major cities have been strengthened.
Pakistan has seen a sharp increase in bomb attacks, mostly targeting security personnel, since July when troops stormed Islamabad’s hard-line Red Mosque.