Three suicide bomb attacks killed at least 52 people in Pakistan yesterday, as a militant backlash intensified following the army's storming of a radical mosque in Islamabad.

A wave of bomb attacks has swept across Pakistan, killing more than 160, since the assault nine days ago on the Lal Masjid or Red Mosque complex, a militant stronghold.

At least 30 people were killed yesterday when a car bomber, apparently targeting a vehicle carrying Chinese workers involved in mining activities, rammed into a police van escorting them in the southern town of Hub.

The Chinese were unhurt but all seven policemen in the van and 23 bystanders were killed. Twenty-eight people were wounded.

Another seven people, including policemen, were killed by a car bomb in the far northwestern city of Hangu yesterday.

The third attack killed at least 15, including two children, at a mosque in an army training centre at a military cantonment area of Kohat, according to officer Mohammad Riaz at the police control room in the north west frontier province town.

"The explosion occurred as people were about to offer evening prayers, it was apparently a suicide bombing," he said.

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