Militant attacks in Pakistan kill 5 policemen

Officials said two militant attacks in north-western Pakistan have killed eight people, including five policemen.

The police said the attacks took place on Tuesday morning on the outskirts of Peshawar city and in the neighbouring district of Charsadda.

Police officer Fazal Wahid said gunmen ambushed a police patrol near Peshawar, killing five policemen and a civilian. Twenty policemen were wounded.

Another officer, Shafiullah Khan, said that in the Charsadda attack, a bomb rigged to a motorcycle exploded close to a police van, killing two bystanders.

Provincial police chief Nasir Durrani said the attacks could be retaliation for recent arrests of militants in the region.