Taliban gunmen wearing police uniforms attacked the largest jail in a northern Pakistani province early Tuesday , allowing about 200 inmates to escape , authorities said . Around 35 of the escaped prisoners are high-profile militants , said Pervaiz Khattak , the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , the province where the attack took place . During the fighting that followed the assault at the prison in the city of Dera Ismail Khan , four police officials and five militants were killed , said Shoukat Yousafzai , the provincial information minister . There were 483 prisoners at the time of the attack , and a total of 200 have gone missing , according to Mushtaq Jadoon , the Dera Ismail Khan police commissioner . Militant group claims responsibility for Iraq prison attacks . The gunmen cut off the prison 's power supply , then launched the attack from all sides , said Malik Qasim Khan , an adviser to the chief minister on prisons . Multiple explosions were reportedly heard . Jadoon said that the attackers announced the names of the people they wanted to free after they entered the jail and whisked the people away . The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack . Locals said they heard chants of Allah O Akbar , `` God is great '' and long live the Taliban soon after the explosion and firing . Taliban spokesman Shahidaullah Shahid said the group freed around 300 prisoners , a claim that Pakistani army officials denied . Shahid described the operation as a success . Inayatullah Tiger , , a bomb disposal squad official , told CNN that forces have defused 350-kilogram bombs planted in various parts of the jail . Suicide jackets , other bombs and explosives-laden chemical drums have also been defused and weapons have been recovered , he said . 1,200 inmates break out of Benghazi prison .
About 200 inmates escape , 35 of them high - ranking militants , an official says . Bombs have been found and bodies were recovered . The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack . Official says four prison guards and five inmates were killed in the attack .