The Pakistani army's chief spokesman says a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a group of paramilitary officers in a volatile region near the Afghan border, killing at least eight troops.

Sunday's attack occurred in a tribal region considered a haven for al Qaida and Taliban-linked militants.

Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas says the attack in South Waziristan occurred at a checkpoint near the main gate of the Zalai Fort, where members of the Frontier Corps were gathered.

US anti-terror ally Pakistan has deployed security forces throughout its northwest to tamp down on growing militancy. The troops have been frequent targets of attacks.