Islamabad , Pakistan ( CNN ) -- Authorities in northern Pakistan were looking for 384 inmates who escaped from a prison early Sunday morning after hundreds of Taliban militants raided the facility . The attack took place in the city of Bannu in northwest Pakistan , an area known for a heavy militant presence . Four prison officials were wounded in the attack , which lasted more than two hours , said Iftikhar Khan , a senior police official in the city . Of the 944 prisoners the facility held , 384 escaped , officials said . Among them were 21 high-profile militants , said Iftikhar Hussain , the information minister of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province , where Bannu is located . The attackers apparently were aiming to free a senior Taliban commander , he said , but prison records were destroyed in the attack , and officials were still working to verify the names and crimes of those who escaped . `` This is beyond terrorism . Such an attack challenges the writ of the state , '' Hussain said . Two of the inmates who escaped had been awaiting execution . One , Adnan Rashid , had been found guilty in the attempted murder of former President Pervez Musharraf in 2003 . The other , Safi Ullah , was convicted of several bombings in northern Pakistan in recent years , officials said . Authorities were investigating how militants managed to enter the city , Hussain said . `` A soul-searching investigation is underway to answer some big questions , '' he said . `` How were the militants allowed to block routes to the jail before the attack ? Why did n't the reinforcements arrive ? '' The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack , according to its spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan . `` We will go where we need to go '' said Ehsan , vowing to continue attacks that would result in the release of other imprisoned Taliban fighters . Journalist Wajahat S. Khan contributed to this report .
NEW : Two prison officials are wounded in the two - hour attack , a security official says . NEW : 21 of the 384 escapees were high - profile militants , an information minister says . They apparently aimed to free a senior Taliban commander , the information minister says . The Pakistani Taliban claims responsibility and vows to continue attacks to free imprisoned militants .