Pakistani officials say a suicide bomber killed at least 19 people outside a court building in Peshawar Thursday, in the latest attack to strike the northwestern city.

Volunteers gather outside a courthouse after a suicide bombing in Peshawar, Pakistan, 19 Nov 2009

The bombing was the sixth in less than two weeks in and around Peshawar. Officials say the attacker blew himself up when guards were trying to search him at the court's gate. They say three policemen were among the dead. Doctors say at least 36 people were wounded.

Militant attacks have surged in the northwest since Pakistan launched a major anti-Taliban offensive in the lawless tribal region of South Waziristan in mid-October.

This latest bomb attack occurred hours after a suspected U.S. drone missile attack killed at least three people and wounded at least four others in neighboring North Waziristan, another militant stronghold bordering Afghanistan.

A separate suspected U.S. drone missile attack on Wednesday killed four people and wounded at least five others in North Waziristan.

In South Waziristan, Pakistani military officials said six alleged militants were killed and five soldiers wounded Wednesday after militants shot at them. Another three soldiers were wounded in a separate bomb attack.

Military officials say 500 militants and 70 soldiers have been killed since the military began its offensive.  

The reports cannot be independently verified, because journalists and rights groups are barred from the battlefield. 

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.