Suicide Bombing Kills 3 in Pakistan

By ZARAR KHAN

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – A suicide bomber attacked a police outpost in Pakistan’s Swat valley Sunday, killing three people in the site of a military operation against Islamic militants loyal to a fugitive cleric, an intelligence official said.

Two civilians and a policeman died in the attack at the Nimgole post near Imam Dheri, the headquarters of pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah. Troops captured the compound Thursday.

Several others were injured, said an intelligence officer, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of his job.

The commander of military operations in Swat said Saturday that insurgents in the area were on the run but remained dangerous.

Militants seized tracts of the Swat valley, a former tourist destination 100 miles from Islamabad, this summer, raising concern about the spread of Islamic militancy along the Pakistan-Afghan border.

Followers of Fazlullah had fended off security forces sent to reinforce the area’s beleaguered police since July, but have been scattered by a major army operation launched last month.

Maj. Gen. Nasser Janjua said Saturday that his 20,000-strong force has retaken all the towns seized by the militants, killing 290 of them and capturing 140, while driving a hardcore of some 400-500 into the Piochar side valley.