(Reuters) -Six security personnel and six militants were killed on Tuesday during an assault on the base of a paramilitary force in northwest Pakistan that began with a suicide bomber ramming the compound and led to a 12-hour gun battle, police said.
The suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into the boundary wall of the base in the town of Bannu early on Tuesday, causing an explosion that allowed other attackers to enter the compound, said Sajjad Khan, the regional police chief.
The attack also left 16 security personnel and three civilians wounded, he said, adding: “Our forces fought bravely for about 12 hours”.
Bannu is located close to the lawless border region with neighbouring Afghanistan, which has long been home to Islamist militants.
No group has so far claimed responsibility.
A police statement blamed the attack on Islamist militants, without naming any group.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Pakistani Taliban, an umbrella of several Sunni Islamist organizations, is the main group operating in the border region.
It has been battling the Pakistani state since 2007 in a bid to overthrow the government and replace it with its version of strict Islamic law.
Pakistan says the militants operate out of neighbouring Afghanistan, where they train fighters and plan attacks, a charge Kabul has denied.
(Writing by Asif ShahzadEditing by Gareth Jones)
