SUICIDE BOMBER HITS US VEHICLE, KILLS 2 PAKISTANIS

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PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- A suicide bomber rammed a car filled with explosives into a U.S. government vehicle in northwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing two Pakistanis and wounding 19 others including two Americans, officials said.

The attack in the city of Peshawar was a vivid reminder of the danger U.S. officials face while working in Pakistan, especially in the country's northwest where Taliban and al-Qaida militants are strongest. Insurgents have carried out scores of bombings in Peshawar in recent years, but attacks against American targets have been relatively rare because of the extensive security measures taken by the U.S. government.

The bomber struck the armored vehicle after it left the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar and while it was traveling through an area of the city that hosts various international organizations, including the United Nations, said police officer Pervez Khan, who was part of the security escort for the vehicle as it moved.

The attack killed two Pakistanis and wounded 19 other people, said senior police officer Javed Khan.


Pakistani officials and rescue workers gather at the site of bombing in Peshawar, Pakistan on Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. A suicide bomber rammed a car filled with explosives into a U.S. government vehicle in northwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing two Pakistanis and wounding 19 others, including two Americans, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)