Four killed as militants attack troops in northwest Pakistan

Militants attacked a headquarters of paramilitary security forces in northwest Pakistan early on Wednesday, triggering an intense shootout in which at least four troops and three insurgents were killed, police said.

Mohammad Khurasani, spokesman for the outlawed Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on Frontier Constabulary in Tank, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

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Local police official Zahid Khan said about two dozen security personnel were also wounded in the attack, but that paramilitary forces had apparently taken control of the situation.

There was no immediate response from the military which was expected to issue a statement about the attack later Wednesday.

The Pakistani Taliban, led by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan movement, have been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power across the border in Afghanistan. They have stepped up attacks on security forces since December when a one-month-long ceasefire between TTP and the government ended.

Pakistani authorities say most of the fighters and leaders of TTP are hiding in Afghanis

Associated Press