Pakistani soldier killed in clash near Afghanistan border

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - A Pakistani soldier and a suspected terrorist were killed on Sunday in clashes near the border with Afghanistan, the country's military announced.

The clashes, which left two other soldiers wounded, took place early in the morning, as a group of suspected terrorists attempted to trickle into Pakistan from Afghanistan through the Zhob district of southwestern Balochistan province, said a statement from the army's mouthpiece, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

This came four days after the military launched an operation to block routes suspected to be used by terrorists to get into the country based on "credible" intelligence, the statement added.

"As a result of continuous surveillance and sanitisation of the area, a group of terrorists was intercepted in early hours today (Sunday). During the establishment of blocking positions to deny them escape routes, terrorists opened fire onto the security forces," it added.

"The terrorists were supported by their facilitators from across the border as well through fire," the statement said, noting that the "sanitization operation" continued in the area to apprehend the remaining perpetrators.

Pakistan is facing a surge in terrorist attacks from across the border after the Taliban captured the Afghan capital Kabul in August last year.

Dozens of soldiers and militants have been killed in clashes and bombings over the past few months

At least 24 members of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and five security personnel were killed in a major operation against suspected militants who took control of a counter-terrorism facility and held several personnel hostage for three days in the northwestern province last week.

The militants had demanded "safe passage" to Afghanistan in exchange for the release of the hostages. The demand was rejected by Islamabad.

It was followed by a suicide bombing in the capital Islamabad on Saturday, killing a police officer and two suspected bombers.

Islamabad has been urging the Taliban to live up to their commitments to rein in terrorist groups and prevent them to using Afghan soil as a launch pad for attacks.