A teenage suicide bomber attacked an assembly of tribal elders in northwestern Pakistan today, killing more than 40 people as militants intensified attacks after last month’s national elections which routed Islamists in the region.

The explosion took place in the village of Zarghon near the tribal town of Darra Adam Khel, the scene of violent clashes between Pakistani troops and Islamic militants earlier this year.

The attack was the third in as many days in Pakistan’s restive North West Frontier Province and the surge in violence poses a serious challenge to the incoming Government, led by moderate secular parties.

The wave of suicide bombings is blamed on militants linked to Baitullah Mehsud, a pro al-Qaeda tribal commander accused of masterminded Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. Police formally charged him this weekend for organising the attack in December.

Witnesses to today’s bombings said that a young man in his teens blew himself up at the gathering of more than 1,000 tribal elders which was discussing how to check the growing activities of pro-Taleban militants in the area.

“It was a huge explosion and left body parts and blood scattered on the ground,” said Ramin Khan, whose left leg and face were wounded. Many prominent tribal leaders were among the dead and more than 100 people were wounded, many of them critically.

Thousands of Pakistani troops are engaged in fierce battle with Islamic militants in the North West Frontier province.

Pakistani forces recently seized the control of Darra Adam Khel, some 25 miles from provincial capital, Peshawar, after a fierce fighting with the militants who are still holed up in surrounding mountains.

Government forces mounted a major offensive to clear Islamic insurgents from a major road tunnel in the area in January. The area is also known for its weapons bazaar and illegal arms manufacturing factories.

On Friday a suicide bomber blew himself up at the funeral of a slain police officer in Mingora town in Swat Valley, killing more than 50 people and injuring at least 60. On Saturday, a suicide bomber rammed his car into a security vehicle in lawless Bajaur tribal district, killing a civilian, a security official and injuring 21 others.

Friday’s bombing was the bloodiest attack in the Swat Valley since militant followers Maulana Fazlullah, a radical cleric, seized control of large parts of the scenic tourist site in the restive northwest Pakistan.

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