Islamabad: Ten people, including eight security personnel, were injured today in Pakistan's first suicide attack of this year when a bomber rammed his explosive-laden pick-up truck into a check post near an army camp in the restive northwestern Swat valley.

Two civilians, including the principal of a college, were seriously wounded and the security personnel, who were manning the check post, sustained minor injuries, the army said in a statement. The bomber was blown to pieces.

The suicide attacker detonated his explosives when he was stopped at the check post near the army camp at Kabal town in Swat valley. The army camp is located within the golf course in Kabal, which has been taken over by the security forces.

Security forces are currently conducting a major operation in Swat against pro-Taliban militants led by radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah, who yesterday called on his followers to target and kill security forces personnel.

Soon after the blast, security forces cordoned off the area and curfew was imposed. Military spokesman Maj Gen Waheed Arshad said the alertness of the troops and precautions taken by the army had prevented the suicide bomber from causing major damage.

Asked if the army was apprehensive about more such attacks, he said: "It's a terrorist act, and such acts have taken place earlier and they will perhaps be taking place later on."

Source : PTI