A twin suicide bombing attack at a military base in Pakistan has killed at least 18 people, including children and five soldiers.
A militant group linked with the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing in Bannu, which also left 42 wounded, some critically.
The bombers blew themselves up to breach the base's surrounding wall. At the time, most residents were breaking their daylong fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan or praying at a nearby mosque.
The blasts ripped off roofs and severely damaged the mosque. Other attackers stormed the base and set off a firefight with troops.
An army statement on Wednesday, local time, said five soldiers and 16 militants were killed.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attackers as "cowardly terrorists who target innocent civilians during the holy month of Ramadan" and said they "deserve no mercy".
Gunshots could be heard early on Wednesday as security forces combed through the area, looking for militants.
At the scene, a mechanical digger cleared rubble where homes had stood. Debris-covered prayer mats lay crumpled at the mosque.
Joint funeral prayers were held for the victims at a sports complex.
"All education institutions are closed," Bannu community elder Alam Khan said.
"Most shops are also shut. Rescue workers have completed their operation by recovering the bodies of three deceased worshippers who were trapped under the collapsed roof of the mosque."
Bannu is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. Several armed groups are active there. A group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban, Jaish Al-Fursan, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Militants have targeted Bannu several times. Last November, a suicide car bomb killed 12 troops and wounded several others at a security post.
In July, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle and other militants opened fire near the outer wall of the military facility.
Also on Wednesday, a bomb struck a shop in Nal — in the district of Khuzdar in south-western Balochistan province — and killed three people and wounded five, according to Deputy Commissioner Iqbal Dashti. People from Sindh and Punjab provinces who have moved to Balochistan often shop there.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Suspicion is likely to fall on Baloch separatists seeking independence from the central government in Islamabad. They have previously targeted people from elsewhere in Pakistan in a drive to expel outsiders.
Also on Wednesday, a drive-by shooting killed intelligence official Shahid Anwar as he drove to work in the north-western city of Peshawar's Uzair Town neighbourhood. The attacker, riding a motorcycle, fled the scene, police officer Adnan Khan said.
AP/AFP/ABC
