Summary:
Pakistani Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for an attack on security forces in the northwest, killing at least 17 soldiers.

Full article:
(CNN) -- Violence has flared again in northwest Pakistan, where terrorists attacked army troops and two militant groups announced an alliance intent on starting a war against security forces. Pakistani army spokesman Asim Bajwa said in a statement Saturday that close to 60 terrorists struck security forces in Khyber Agency, a region west of Peshawar that borders Afghanistan. The two sides waged a lengthy battle, after which 17 militants were dead while others managed to escape, Bajwa said. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The region has long been a hotbed for armed anti-government activity, not to mention U.S. drone strikes targeting suspected terrorists. Sources: Drone strikes kill 8 in Afghanistan, Pakistan . The Pakistani Taliban has been one of the most destabilizing forces in the Asian nation. In a statement, the outlawed organization threatened to foment more unrest as it announced it will send fighters to Khyber Agency and join forces with the militant group Lashkar-i-Islam. There, the allied forces plan to wage war with Pakistani authorities, according to the statement.