At least 11 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a roadside police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, police and rescue officials said. The attack occurred on Saturday in Dera Ismail Khan, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to police sources who spoke to Al Jazeera.

Among the dead were at least seven security personnel, while 20 others were wounded in the blast. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, where some are reportedly in critical condition. The checkpoint was located on a busy road on the outskirts of the city.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement. The group has been waging a insurgency against the Pakistani state for years and is designated as a terrorist organization by authorities.

Dera Ismail Khan has seen a surge in militant violence in recent months, with security forces conducting frequent operations against TTP fighters in the region. Despite these efforts, attacks on police and military checkpoints have continued, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the security strategy.

Officials have not yet released further details about the attacker or the exact circumstances of the bombing. Investigations are ongoing, and the death toll may rise as some of the wounded are in serious condition.

Source: www.aljazeera.com