ISLAMABAD: A suicide bomber struck at an Army base in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province on Thursday, killing a soldier and injuring eight others, an army spokesman said. The unidentified suicide bomber was also killed when he exploded himself near a group of soldiers undergoing training in Khrian, 130 kms from here.

“The soldiers were conducting training when the bomber walked towards them and blew himself off,” Major General Waheed Arshad said. The injured were shifted to a military hospital in the city, he said, adding one of them was in critical condition. Army was investigating to ascertain the bomber’s identity.

The area, which has a large army base, was cordoned off by police and journalists were not allowed to enter.