RAWALPINDI: At least nine people have been killed and eighteen others including school students injured in a devastating suicide bomb blast occurred at RA Bazaar area of Rawalpindi on Monday morning, AAj news reported.

Initial reports suggests that, over 5 kg explosives were used in the blast.

The blast also destroyed several cars, motorbikes and shattered the windows of nearly located shops and buildings.

Soon after the incident, police cordoned off the area while rescue teams arrived at the place of incident and shifted injured people to the nearest hospital; in which most of them are declared critical.

Tension prevailed in the area, after the blast.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban took responsibility for the suicide bomb attack at RA bazar in Rawalpindi.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain strongly condemned the blast.