Two military officers killed in Rawalpindi suicide attack

TTP have claimed responsibility for the attack, according to spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid.

RAWALPINDI: A suicide bomber crashed into a double-cabin vehicle of security forces near Rawalpindi on Wednesday, killing two military officers and three civilians, Express News reported.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military officers were identified as Lieutenant Colonel Zahir Shah and Lieutenant Colonel Arshad Shaheed.

A suspected suicide bomber attacked a security forces vehicle in Rawalpindi, home to army headquarters, killing five people including two officers, a military source said.

The incident took place in the town of Fateh Jang and the identity of the suicide bomber is not known yet.

"A security forces vehicle was targeted, likely by a suicide bomber near Ternol, Rawalpindi," the source said. "Two officers were martyred and three civilians were killed."

The bodies and the injured were taken to Fateh Jang Tehsil Headquarter Hospital.

Rescue teams from Islamabad and Rawalpindi reached the site of the blast. Police have cordoned off the area and started a search operation. Further investigations into the suicide attack are underway.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have claimed responsibility for the attack according to TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi for the funeral prayers of the officers Wednesday evening. He was accompanied by Water and Power Minister Khwaja Asif.

Earlier, there were reports of four of the deceased being officials of an intelligence agency and the fifth being a motor-cycle rickshaw driver.