PESHAWAR Dec 1 (APP):  In all nine people were killed and 27 injured whena suicide bomber ploughed his explosive laden vehicle  into a school van some 300 meters near a security checkpost at Fizza Ghat on Mingora-Sangota road on Monday, spokesman of Swat Media Centre said.

All those killed were civilians including three school children, and a lone security official was among the injured, he told APP.

The attacker riding a vehicle in a bid to hit the check post collided with the school van while overtaking it, the spokesman added. “The attacker was trying to approach the checkpost  bypassing the vehicles’ queue, but his car exploded on the way,” the official said.

Medical Superintendent Saidu Group of Hospitals said that nine bodies were brought in along with the 27 injured to the hospital.  Emergency was declared in the district hospitals after the blast.

The local police and security personnel immediately cordoned off the entire area and started search operation against the miscreants.