Thaindian News

Islamabad, Dec 24 (IANS) At least five troopers were killed and 12 injured early Saturday when a suicide bomber drove his vehicle packed with explosives into a paramilitary camp in northwest Pakistan, a media report said.

The dead and the injured were paramilitary soldiers, said Geo TV.

The attack took place at about 6 a.m. Saturday when a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a checkpost at a camp of Frontier Corps in the country’s northwest Bannu district, which is located near the insurgents-infested North Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan, reported Xinhua.

Residents were quoted as saying they heard a huge blast in the pre-dawn attack which was followed by heavy firing.

The camp was completely destroyed in the powerful bombing.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Saturday’s attack on security forces is the second of its kind reported in the country in two days.

On Friday, armed militants attacked a security checkpost near South Waziristan tribal region and killed one security person and injured four. The attackers also reportedly kidnapped several soldiers and a Taliban spokesman had threatened to kill the kidnapped security personnel.

Taliban militants have stepped up attacks after a lull in the wake of conflicting reports that they are engaged in talks with the government.

The Pakistani army and interior minister have denied the talks, but the deputy chief of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Maulvi Faqir Muhammad has confirmed it.