PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying paramilitary troops in Pakistan’s northwest on yesterday, killing two soldiers and wounding eight other people in an attack claimed by the Taleban.

The attack on the Frontier Corps (FC) took place in the upscale Hayatabad area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The blast came a day after the Pakistani military said it had launched a fresh ground operation in a valley in the northwest, part of an offensive that began last November to clear the militancyracked area. Local senior police official Imran Malik, whi gave the death toll, said four civilians were among the eight injured. The Frontier Corps, which is part of the army, specializes in operations along the border with Afghanistan.