Bomb Aimed at Pakistan Islamic Party Kills 10

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A bomb blast targeting an Islamic party chief killed at least 10 people and wounded 20 others in a northwestern Pakistani town Thursday, police said.

The bombing took place in the town of Charsadda, close to the convoy of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party -- the second attack against the politician and his supporters in as many days.

"At least 10 people were martyred including three police officials and 20 others were wounded as the bomb blast hit a police vehicle deployed for security of the convoy," senior police official Nisar Khan Marwat told Agence France Presse.

Rehman and his companions were unharmed, Marwat said, adding that the politician had gone to the town to address a party meeting.

Rehman's party spokesman Asif Iqbal Daudzai confirmed that the party chief and other leaders were not hurt, but two security guards traveling in the vehicle in front were wounded.

"Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others are safe, their vehicle was damaged in the bomb blast," Daudzai told AFP.

It was the second attack on Rehman and his supporters in two days. On Wednesday a suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up near a police checkpoint killing 10 people and wounding more than 20 in the northwestern town of Swabi.

Rehman was on his way to a public meeting in Swabi when the blast happened.