A suicide attack targeting a police checkpoint in northwest Pakistan on Friday killed at least 16 people, including five policemen, officials said.
The targets of the attack were tribal police in Bajaur tribal district, where Taliban linked to al-Qaeda are active, officials told AFP.
A local health official said the death toll could rise. At least three of the dead were policemen, including a senior officer, he said. More than 12 people were wounded.
Pakistan, a strategic U.S. ally, has failed to break the back of the Taliban despite numerous crackdowns.
The Taliban have mounted suicide bombings, which have often killed civilians, and shooting attacks on security forces in their bid to topple the government.
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