At least nine people have been killed and 30 more have been injured after a female suicide bomber wearing a burka blew herself up outside a Pakistani hospital yesterday.

The attack in Dera Ismail Khan was claimed by the 'Pakistani Taliban' - Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Senior police officer, Salim Riaz Khan, said gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on police in a residential area, killing two.

He says the bomber then struck at the entrance to the hospital, killing another four police and three civilians who were visiting their relatives.

The female attacker set off 15lbs (7kgs) of explosives packed with nails and ball-bearings, according to Inayat Ullah, a local forensics expert.

Eight police are among the wounded, and many of those with injuries are in critical condition.