Pakistani officials and soldiers visit the site of bombing in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, March 12,... 
(AP)Suicide Attack in Northwest Pakistan Kills 5
Police say suicide attack at security checkpoint kills at least 5 people in northwest Pakistan
ISLAMABAD March 12, 2010 (AP)
Officials say at least five people have been killed in a suicide car bombing in northwest Pakistan.
Army spokesman Maj. Mushtaq Khan says the attacker detonated the car bomb near a security checkpoint in the Swat district.
Police official Mohammed Anfal says nearly two dozen people were also wounded in Saturday's attack.
The Pakistani military launched a major offensive in Swat early last year after peace deals with local Taliban collapsed.
The military took back the Swat Valley by mid-2009, but sporadic violence has continued.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Two suicide bombers killed 43 people in near-simultaneous blasts Friday, the fourth major attack in Pakistan this week and a clear sign that militants have the power to strike targets despite months of army offensives and U.S. missile strikes.
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The twin bombings, which also wounded about 100 people, raised fears of a new wave of attacks by Islamic militants. With no explanation of why the violence is surging now or how long it could last, Pakistanis have been left to guess at how bloody the situation could get.
"This is an attack against our people, our country," said senior Lahore official Sajjad Bhutta, calling on law enforcement agencies to improve their intelligence networks.
Underscoring the widespread fear, a series of small explosions injured at least three people and sparked panic in another Lahore neighborhood late Friday night. Police officials said the five low-intensity blasts apparently resulted from loose explosives scattered through the residential area of Iqbal Town. While the explosions terrified residents and sent police and rescue workers racing through town, there were no reports of deaths or major damage.
The two suicide bombers, who were on foot, set off their explosives within seconds of each other near two trucks carrying soldiers on patrol in RA Bazaar, a residential and commercial neighborhood with numerous military buildings. About 10 of those killed were soldiers, said Police Chief Parvaiz Rathore.
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