At least 13 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack that was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, local government officials and police officers told AFP on Saturday.

The attack in northwestern Pakistan also left at least 25 people injured, including 15 army personnel and 10 civilians, according to officials, speaking to Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the attack as a "cowardly act," according to a statement from his office.

Vehicle rammed into convoy

"A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a military convoy," said a local government official in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The convoy was attacked in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan district, the army said in a statement.

"In this tragic and barbaric incident, three innocent civilians, including two children and a woman, also got severely injured," it said.

A police officer informed AFP that the explosion had also caused the roofs of two houses to collapse, injuring six children.

An initial investigation said 800 kilograms (1,760 pounds) of explosives were used in the attack.

According to AP sources, the assault targeted a military vehicle in North Waziristan at around lunchtime.

The attack was claimed by the suicide bomber wing of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur armed group, which is affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban.

Since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, violence has increased significantly in the Pakistani regions bordering Afghanistan.

Edited by: Kieran Burke