Pakistani officials say dozens of heavily armed militants attacked a police station in the northwestern part of the country and killed six police officers, including two who were beheaded.

Authorities say the attack began late Sunday night in a small town just outside the area's main city of Peshawar. The militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades clashed with police, trading gunfire for several hours. Before fleeing, the attackers set fire to the station and torched at least three police vehicles.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The militant group frequently targets security forces with coordinated assaults as part of their ongoing fight against the government.