UPDATE - Pakistan: Landmine explosion kills 4 soldiers

UPDATE WITH TALIBAN CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - At least four Pakistani soldiers, who were part of an operation to rescue a Canadian-American family from northwestern Pakistan, were killed on Sunday, Pakistan's army said.

The soldiers were killed in a series of landmine explosions in the semi-autonomous tribal region of Kurram Agency near the border with Afghanistan, the Inter-services Public Relations -- the military's media wing -- said in a statement.

Three other soldiers were injured, the statement added.

The troops were part of a search operation for the foreigners rescued earlier this week, the statement said.

The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan army said on Thursday that a Canadian-American family was rescued from Kurram Agency by Pakistani troops and the country’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, with the help of intelligence from the U.S.

Canadian national Joshua Boyle, 33, and his American wife Caitlan Coleman, 31, were kidnapped by the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network while backpacking in Afghanistan in 2012. The couple had three children during their five-year captivity in the war-torn country.