The blast comes after a day after the army claimed that it had flushed out militants from the restive areas in northwestern Pakistan.

Five civilians, three security personnel and the bomber were killed in the attack which occurred at about noon at a check post in Ningolai village near Matta, a former stronghold of armed militants led by pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah.

At least six injured persons were taken to a hospital in nearby Saidu Sharif town.

The suicide attack took place just as security forces consolidated their positions after evicting militants from most key towns and villages across Swat, located just 160 km from Islamabad.

Army officials yesterday said 290 militants had been killed and 143 more arrested since mid-November.

Meanwhile, three beheaded bodies were found in Matta sub-district this morning, Dawn News channel reported.

Military spokesman Major Gen Waheed Arshad said that three policemen, five civilians and the bomber died in the blast. Reports from Swat said two children were among the dead.

No group claimed responsibility for the bombing but Arshad said that it was a “terrorist attack” by the militants who are “terrorising the people of Swat”.

Fazlullah on the run

Arshad said Fazlullah was on the run and would be captured “sooner than later”.

He said that the security forces had flushed out militants from most areas of Swat and were now focussing on the western and northern parts of the valley where the rebels are believed to be hiding.

The army has sealed Fazlullah’s headquarters, a sprawling madrassa in Imamdheri village and demolished his home near Mingora, the main town of Swat district.

Security forces are currently removing mines planted by the militants at Saidu Sharif airport to make it operational as soon as possible.

Fazlullah, who went into hiding in mid-November after the army took the lead role in operations in Swat, has vowed to continue his campaign to enforce Shariat or Islamic law in the region. The army said Fazlullah is hiding in mountains with 200 to 400 of his followers, including some foreign militants.