A teen suicide bomber in a school uniform attacked soldiers during morning exercises at a Pakistani Army training camp Thursday, killing 27 troops and wounding 40 others, police and the military said.
The attack in the northwest town of Mardan showed that despite years of Army operations against their hideouts along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked fighters retain the ability to strike back. It was one of the worst attacks on security forces in recent months.
Senior police official Abdullah Khan said 27 soldiers died and around 40 were wounded, some critically. Khan said an examination of the body parts at the scene indicated the bomber was a teenage boy, which is a common finding in suicide bombings in Pakistan.
The army, which tends to release information much slower, put the death toll in an earlier statement at 20 and confirmed the general circumstances.
The attack in the northwest town of Mardan showed that despite years of Army operations against their hideouts along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked fighters retain the ability to strike back. It was one of the worst attacks on security forces in recent months. Senior police official Abdullah Khan said 27 soldiers died and around 40 were wounded, some critically. Khan said an examination of the body parts at the scene indicated the bomber was a teenage boy, which is a common finding in suicide bombings in Pakistan.
The army, which tends to release information much slower, put the death toll in an earlier statement at 20 and confirmed the general circumstances.
