The blast in Peshawar wounded at least 20 people and will add to tensions in the country as it prepares for parliamentary elections on February 18 that many predict will weaken President Pervez Musharraf’s grip on power.

Suspected Islamic militants have launched a wave of suicide blasts against security forces and politicians in recent months, killing at least 400 people — including opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

Arshad Ali, whose brother died in the blast in Peshawar, said the attacker was a man aged about 18.

“People present there tried to stop him,” Ali said, wailing and beating his chest in grief. “He took out a pistol, shot three times and then blew himself up.”

A crowd of enraged Shiites, crying and beating their chests, prevented an Associated Press reporter from reaching the scene.

Police also had difficulty approaching the mosque. Hundreds more Shiites gathered at the hospital where the wounded were taken and chanted religious slogans.

Peshawar police chief Tanvir Sipra said the nine dead included a policeman, who had tried to stop the bomber from entering the mosque. A few women police officers were among the wounded, he said. It was not immediately clear if any of the dead or wounded were hit by the gunfire.

Earlier on Thursday, Taliban fighters seized their second fort in the border region close to Afghanistan in as many days after dozens of troops abandoned the outpost without firing a shot, the insurgents and an intelligence official said.

An army spokesman denied the fort had fallen and it not immediately possible to reconcile the conflicting claims. If confirmed they would highlight rising militant control of the lawless, mountainous area, where top al-Qaeda leaders are thought to be hiding.