Gunmen detonated a car bomb near police and intelligence agency offices on Lahore’s Fatima Jinnah road Wednesday, killing 23 people and wounding more than 100, officials told Dawn.com.

At least four men with rifles stepped out from the car and opened fire on the intelligence agency building, then set off a massive blast when security guards returned fire, officials said.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik suggested the attack could be retaliation for the government’s military offensive to rout Taliban militants from the northwesternSwat Valley.

Wednesday’s attack was the third major strike in Lahore in recent months.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the latest bombing. Police said one suspect was detained.

View video of the mayhem here.