Taliban Militants Attack Pakistani Army Base

By Steve Mullis

Published February 2, 2013 at 3:53 AM EST

Pakistani troops gather at the site of an attack on an army post in Serai Naurang town, near Lakki Marwat, Pakistan, on Saturday.

Armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons, militants attacked an army camp in Northwestern Pakistan early Saturday morning.

According to officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, 12 militants and 13 security officials were killed in the attack. The New York Times is reporting that 10 civilians — including three women and three children — who were living in a nearby compound, were also killed.

Here's more from the Times:

A spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility and said it was to avenge the death of two Taliban commanders who were killed in U.S drone strikes.

According to initial details, Taliban militants, armed with heavy machine guns, fired rockets in the pre-dawn assault at the base in Serai Norang in the Lakki Marwat district, setting off a heavy gun battle that lasted for several hours.

The attack comes just a day after a suicide bombing near a mosque in another northwestern town killed at least 26 people and wounded more than 50.