Suicide bomber kills three in Pakistan

By Faris Ali

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber in an auto-rickshaw blew himself up in Pakistan on Monday, killing three people while four soldiers were killed in South Waziristan when militants struck back in their captured headquarters.

Islamist militants have unleashed a campaign of attacks in Pakistan in recent weeks in retaliation for a major offensive by security forces on their main bastion of South Waziristan on the Afghan border.

In the latest bomb blast, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives when police stopped him on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar.

"The bomber was in a rickshaw and detonated his explosives when the rickshaw was stopped for a check," said police official Zafar Khan.

A policeman, a passerby and the rickshaw driver were killed while five people were wounded.

Police said the bomber was apparently trying to get into the city centre to stage the attack, but set off his explosives as he knew he would be caught at the checkpoint.

It was the second attack in the Peshawar region in 24 hours.

A suicide bomber killed an anti-Taliban village mayor and 11 other people in an attack near the city on Sunday.