2nd LD Writethru: 11 killed in suicide blast in army camp in NW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 Pakistani army officers and soldiers were killed and 13 others injured in a suicide blast inside an army unit in Pakistan's northwest Swat district on Saturday night, said the Pakistani army.

The Inter-Services Public Relations, Pakistani army's media wing, said in a statement that the attack happened in a sports area of the unit in Kabal town of Swat, a district located in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Local reports said that the death toll may further increase as several were in critical condition among the injured.

Local media said that the attack happened when soldiers were playing volleyball there. The injured soldiers have been shifted to Kabal hospital.

The outlawed militant group of Pakistani Taliban claimed the attack, according to local reports.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has strongly condemned the suicide attack, the prime minister's office said.

The prime minister said that no cowardly attack can deter Pakistan in pursuing struggle against the menace of terrorism to its logical conclusion. "We will continue our fight till the last trace is rooted out," stated the prime minster in a statement.

Pakistani security forces had cleared Swat valley in a major operation in 2009. Earlier the Pakistani Taliban militants had strong influence in most parts of Swat. Enditem