At least 23 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a Pakistan army base on Tuesday, an official said, in an attack claimed by militants affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban.
The early-morning attack targeted a base in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border, according to a local official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Read more: Pakistan’s Army Chief Visits US for Diplomatic Talks
“Many of them were killed while they were sleeping and in civilian clothes so we are still determining if they are all military personnel,” the official added.
Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan — a new group affiliated with the Pakistan Taliban — said the assault began around 2:30 am (2130 GMT) with a “martyrdom attack” by one fighter before others stormed the compound.
Pakistan’s army has not yet commented on the incident.
Read more: Corruption Crisis: Amnesty’s Alarming Findings in Pakistan