Five people were killed in a suicide attack in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, local TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.

The blast took place in front of the gate of Army Supply Corps (ASC) center in Nowshera in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), said the report.

Military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said that at least five people including three civilians and two army personnel were killed and six others injured when a suicide bomber riding a bicycle launched the attack.

The security personnel cordoned off the site of the blast after the attack and the injured have been transferred to a local hospital.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Nowshera city is notable for its colonial era Cantonment, which is home to the Pakistan Army "School of Artillery", School of ASC, ASC center, Armour center and School of Armour of Pakistan Army. It is the only district of Pakistan with three Cantonments namely Nowshera Cantonment, Risalpur Cantonment and Cherat Cantonment.

Currently around 20,000 security forces soldiers are fighting militants in Swat valley in NWFP to restore peace and stability in the area.

Local militants in northwestern Pakistan intensified attacks on security forces after they scrapped a peace deal with the government in mid-July. Frequent clashes between militants and security forces have claimed hundreds of lives since July and the security has been put on high alert in northwestern areas. 

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2007)