A six-man squad drove an explosive-laden truck into a military camp in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 23 soldiers, the army said, less than two months ahead of national elections.
The gun and bomb attack, which a terror group claimed responsibility for, comes as political watchers have already voiced concerns about the holding of polls, scheduled for February 8, 2024, amid a surge in militant attacks in the northwest and southwest regions of the 241 million nation.
The attack occurred in the remote district of Dera Ismail Khan on the edge of lawless tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, the army said in a statement, adding all six attackers were killed in an ensuing battle.
Two security officials had earlier put the death toll at 24.
The army had set up the base camp in a police station complex in the Daraban area of the district.
"The attempt to enter the post was effectively thwarted, which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the post, followed by a suicide bombing attack," the army statement said.
The resulting blasts led to the collapse of the building, causing multiple casualties, it added.
The army said the attack came a day after two soldiers were killed in different operations in the region, along with 21 militants.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar condemned the attack, a statement from his office said.
Several of the wounded were in critical condition, said Aizaz Mehmood, an official of the state-run rescue service.
In a statement, a Pakistani Taliban group, the Tahreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), which has emerged recently and claimed several attacks in recent months, said its men carried out the attack.
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