A senior police official's home has been targeted by a suicide bomber in Pakistan's north western frontier town of Mardan, killing eight and injuring 15, according to news agency Associated Press (AP).

The suicide bomber blew himself up close to a security convoy escorting Akhtar Ali Shah, Mardan's deputy inspector, near his home just after 13.30 local time [08:30 GMT] on Friday.

Kamal Hyder, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, said: "The suicide bomber... killed at least three police guards including the driver." He said the attack had taken place in a "high-security zone".

The other casualties have not yet been identified although AP reported that five civilians had also been killed.

Hyder said the area had been destabilised because the war in Afghanistan and attacks by US drones in the region had "driven much of the population to go against the government".

Mohammad Khan, a resident of the town, told AP: "It [the explosion] took place outside the police chief's residence.

"I myself have seen four bodies. There may be more."

Shah is reported to have escaped the attack unhurt.

Mardan is around 110km northwest of the Pakistani capital Islamabad.