The Pakistani army announced on Wednesday that a suicide bomber detonated his car bomb at a military checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of 12 soldiers.

The army explained that a gun battle followed the explosion, leading to the death of at least six militants in the Bannu area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

A group affiliated with the Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes at a time of escalating violence in Pakistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.