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Pakistan's army said it had largely driven militants out of the Swat valley

At least 29 people have been killed in a bombing near Swat valley in north-west Pakistan, officials say.

The explosion hit a security convoy in Shangla district - an area the military said it had retaken from militants.

It is the latest in a string of attacks and comes ahead of an expected army assault against the militants in South Waziristan near the Afghan border.

On Saturday militants stormed the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. Pakistan has vowed to hit back "imminently".

The Pakistani Taliban said it was responsible for the attack in Rawalpindi, saying it had been carried out by a Punjab faction of the group.

Spokesman Azam Tariq said it was to avenge the recent killing of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud by a US drone.

Dozens hurt

The latest attack took place early in the afternoon in the town of Alpurai.

Security officials say a car blew up near a hospital in the market as a convoy of troops was passing by.

NORTH-WEST PAKISTAN BLASTS 5 October: Five killed in suicide blast in UN's Islamabad office 26 September: 16 killed in two car bombs in Peshawar and Bannu 18 September: 33 killed in market blast near Kohat 30 August: Suicide bomber kills 14 police recruits in Swat valley 27 August: 22 police guards killed at checkpoint on Afghan border 14 August: Seven killed in market blast in Dera Ismail Khan 5 June: Mosque blast kills at least 38 in Upper Dir district

Dozens of people, including security personnel, are said to have been injured in the explosion.

It is not known if it was a suicide attack.

Witnesses said area was strewn with debris. A military spokesman said several trucks were destroyed in the blast.

Shangla district borders the Swat valley.

In June the army declared an anti-Taliban offensive in the Swat valley a success. But there have been isolated incidents of violence since then.

Some analysts say that in the wake of the army onslaught a number of militants fled to neighbouring districts.

During the anti-Taliban offensive fighting also spilled into Shangla district.

Over the past few months troops have also been gathering on the border of South Waziristan, where the Taliban have one of their main strongholds.

After Baitullah Mehsud was killed by a US missile in early August, there was a relative lull in Taliban attacks.

But there has been a resurgence in militant activity since the start of this month.