Bomber part of assault that kills nine in Pakistan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan — A female suicide bomber struck outside a hospital in Pakistan on Sunday as the wounded were being brought in from an earlier shooting against police, in a complex assault claimed by the Pakistani Taliban that killed nine people and wounded 30.

Salim Riaz Khan, a senior police officer in Dera Ismail Khan, said gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on police in a residential area, killing two. He said the bomber then struck at the entrance to the hospital, killing another four police and three civilians who were visiting their relatives. He said eight police officers were among those hurt, and many of the wounded were in critical condition.

Inayat Ullah, a local forensics expert, said the female attacker set off 15 pounds of explosives packed with nails and ball bearings.

The blast damaged the emergency room and forced it to shut down, according to a hospital official, who said the wounded were taken to a military hospital.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack but did not acknowledge that the bomber was a woman. The group has launched scores of attacks going back nearly two decades; almost all have been carried out by men.

Pakistan’s military has carried out several major operations in recent years against the Pakistani Taliban and other militants in areas along the porous border with Afghanistan. The violence has declined, but the militants still make their presence known through occasional attacks, mainly targeting security forces and religious minorities.

Later on Sunday, police said they had arrested 16 suspects, all of whom are members on banned organizations.

Police officer Habib Ahmed said authorities also seized weapons.