SRINAGAR, July 20: A suicide bomber slammed a car into a military jeep in occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, killing six people — including himself and four soldiers — and wounding 17, police and hospital officials said.

“Suddenly there was a huge explosion,” witness Ghulam Mohammad said. “I was thrown off my cycle. When I looked back I saw a lot of dust and smoke. I could hear people screaming for help.”

Hizbul Mujahideen called newspaper offices shortly after the blast and claimed responsibility for the attack which took place 50 metres from a Christian missionary school.

At the site, soldiers picked up the bodies of their dead comrades and carried them away. The bomber’s car was blown apart, the white military jeep he attacked left badly mangled.

A civilian driving a scooter was also killed, his vehicle lying on its side near the jeep. Bloodstains marked the road, which was carpeted by hundreds of green leaves from Kashmir’s towering Chinar trees, shaken down by the blast.

Police said most of the wounded were civilians and had been rushed to hospital.

“Apparently it was a suicide bomber who rammed into the army jeep. We are investigating,” police officer Sayed Ahmed said.

Outside Srinagar’s main government hospital, anxious people gathered around a list of 17 wounded people.—Reuters