Suicide attack kills 11 Pakistani army soldiers; TTP claims responsibility

A suicide attack on a sports unit belonging to the Pakistan Army in the restive northwest province on Saturday killed 11 soldiers, including an officer, and injured 13 others, the military said.

The incident occurred in Swat district's Kabal Tehsil in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

It said that eight soldiers succumbed to their injuries in hospital, taking the death toll to 11.

The military statement said 13 people were injured in the blast and have admitted to the hospital.

The forces have cordoned off the area and started a search operation, it added.

The injured persons were taken to Saidu Teaching Hospital in Mingora in Swat.

The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack, 'The Express Tribune' reported.

The report said that the outfit noted that it was the second attack this month with more to follow.

Swat valley has witnessed many attacks and was briefly controlled by the Taliban between 2007 and 2009.

At least two militants were killed during a search operation in December last year.

In October, one person was killed and two others injured when a remote-controlled bomb went off in Malam Jabba area.