Bomb blast kills 8 in NW Pakistan

A powerful bomb exploded in a market in a northwestern Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border on Saturday, killing five men and wounding 10, officials said. The attack happened in the Salarzai area of troubled Bajur tribal region and some of the pro-government elders were also among the dead and wounded, according to local government official Israr Khan. Khan said the bomb had apparently been planted inside the restaurant. No one has claimed responsibility, and the motive behind the attack was not immediately known. Pakistan has seen a surge in militant violence since al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed in a US raid in a northern Pakistani town on May 2. Pakistani Taliban militants allied with al Qaeda have vowed to avenge bin Laden''s killing. A suicide car bomber killed 27 people in an attack outside a police station in the northwestern city of Hangu on Thursday. Early this week, Taliban assaulted a heavily guarded naval base in the southern city of Karachi. Ten military personnel were killed and two aircraft destroyed in the attack.