TEHRAN, December 21 (MNA) – The Pakistani Taliban claimed a brazen overnight raid on an army outpost near the border with Afghanistan on Saturday, which intelligence officials said killed 16 soldiers and critically wounded five more.The siege started after midnight and lasted about two hours as around 30 militants pummelled the mountainous outpost from three sides, one senior intelligence official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"Sixteen soldiers were martyred and five were critically injured in the assault," he said.

"The militants set fire to the wireless communication equipment, documents and other items present at the checkpoint." A second intelligence official also anonymously confirmed the toll of dead and wounded in the attack in the Makeen area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 40 kilometres (24 miles) from the Afghan border.

Pakistan's domestic chapter of the Taliban claimed the attack in a statement, saying it was staged "in retaliation for the martyrdom of our senior commanders".

The group claimed to have seized a hoard of military gear including machine guns and a night vision device.

Pakistan's military has not yet issued a statement on the incident.

MNA/