Suicide blast at Peshawar funeral kills 15

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral near the northwestern city of Peshawar on Sunday, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 30 others, police and hospital officials said.

The blast, apparently targeting an anti-Taliban politician, went off near a graveyard where people had just offered funeral prayers, senior police officer Kalam Khan said.

"It was a suicide attack, we have found the head and legs of the bomber," he said.

Peshawar administration chief Mohammad Siraj said the death toll from the incident in the Badaber area on the outskirts of Peshawar had gone up to 15.

"The latest toll is 15 dead and 37 wounded," he told reporters.

Doctor Rahim Jan, head of the local Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed the casualties.

"We received nine bodies from the blast site and six died later in the hospital," Jan said, adding that many of the wounded were in a serious condition.

Peshawar police chief Imtiaz Altaf said about eight kilograms of explosives had been used in the attack.

The blast went off after mourners had offered prayers for a local woman.

Police believe the deputy speaker of the provincial assembly, Khushdil Khan, who was attending the funeral, could have been the target.

Khushdil Khan is a member of the secular Awami National Party, which rules the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

"He was not hurt, he is safe," the officer added.