PESHAWAR: A government official says a bomb blast has killed at least four people in a northwest Pakistani tribal region.

Khaista Noor says the Wednesday explosion occurred at a cattle market in the Darmela area of the Orakzai tribal area.

Orakzai is believed to be a gathering place for many al-Qaida and Taliban fighters, including militants fleeing an army offensive in the South Waziristan tribal area.

Pakistan has suffered numerous bombings over the last few months, many of them apparently in retaliation for the army operation.