Pakistan: 3 children, soldiers killed in suicide blast in North Waziristan

The children killed were aged between 4 to 11 years, and three soldiers also died in the suicide blast in Pakistan`s restive North Waziristan.

Peshawar: Three children and as many soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed in a suicide blast on Sunday in Pakistan's restive North Waziristan tribal district bordering Afghanistan, the Army said. The incident occurred in the Miran Shah town, some 250 kms from here, the Army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement, as per PTI. The children were aged between 4 to 11 years, it said, adding that three soldiers also died in the incident. "Intelligence agencies are investigating to find out about (the) suicide bomber and his handlers/facilitators," the ISPR added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the suicide attack and expressed grief over the lives lost. In a statement, he offered his condolences to the families of the children.

"The killers of innocent children are the enemies of both Islam and humanity. We will not sit idle until this brutality is eradicated," he said, vowing to punish the facilitators of the attacker.

Taking to Twitter, the prime minister also said: "Blood of our soldiers and citizens is a debt on us that we will repay by eradicating terrorism from our country."

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also condemned the attack and offered her condolences.

According to Radio Pakistan, the minister said miscreants wanted to "destabilise law and order in the country".

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also condemned the attack. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan condemned the blast.

Last month, two Pakistan Army soldiers were killed in the Sararogha area of South Waziristan district during a gun battle with terrorists.

On April 23, three soldiers were killed in the Dewagar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district during an exchange of fire with terrorists from across the Afghan border.