12-year-old boy blows himself up at Pakistani recruitment center, killing 31 cadets

A 12-year-old boy in a school uniform blew himself up at a Pakistani army recruitment center Thursday, killing 31 cadets in an attack that challenges government assertions that it has weakened militants.

"The bomber struck recruits when cadets were busy in their morning training," a military official told Reuters about the attack in which at least 20 people were wounded. The boy apparently walked into the compound, officials said.

"It seems the Taliban are still a very potent force because they continue to attack installations, even if they have been quiet for a time," said former general Talat Masood. "They reassert themselves after a while, and it will be a while before we consider them to be less of a threat."

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani condemned Thursday's attack at the Punjab Regiment Center. "Such cowardly attacks cannot affect the morale of the security agencies and the resolve of the nation to eradicate terrorism," he said in a statement.