Five people were killed and three others seriously injured in a suicide blast in north China's Inner Mongolia on Friday, according to local sources.

The tragedy happened at about 8:20 a.m. Friday in the Jiguanshanzi Village of Chifeng city, when a villager, Zhang Zuojun, bound in explosives went to his brother's shop seeking to kill him. However, his brother was absent.

Zhang was killed on the spot, together with his sister-in-law and two other relatives. A villager surnamed Li died later in hospital.

Zhang's mother, sister and another villager surnamed Xu were injured and rushed to hospital. They were described as out of danger.

According to villagers, Zhang's brother got compensation from the government as his land was expropriated for mining. Zhang had earlier attempted to negotiate with his brother to take shares in the compensation.

Detailed information is not yet available, except that Zhang had been released from jail.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2007)