Nine soldiers killed in powerful explosion

At least nine soldiers were killed after suspected militants triggered a powerful blast as they attacked an Army convoy in the outskirts of Srinagar.

At least nine soldiers were killed and 20 wounded when suspected separatist guerrillas triggered a powerful blast on Saturday, attacking an Indian Army convoy in the outskirts of this summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

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According to the police, an improvised explosive device (IED) went off targeting the convoy near Narbal, 15 km from Srinagar, on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway.

The police said the bus carrying the army personnel was destroyed in the explosion.

The police blamed Islamic militants for the blast but no guerrilla outfit immediately owned responsibility.

This was the worst terror attack around Srinagar since March 19 when suspected militants triggered a powerful blast ripping off an overpass near the civil secretariat and left about two dozen people injured. The Hizbul Mujahideen and the Al-Madina militant outfits had claimed responsibility for that attack.