KHAR: At
least 16 militants and a soldier were killed in a clash at Nawa Top in
the Wara Mamond tehsil in Bajaur Agency after Afghanistan-based
insurgents attacked a security checkpost on Saturday, official sources
said.
Sources said the clash took place early in the morning near the Pak-Afghan border some 25 kilometres northwest of Khar, the administrative headquarters of Bajaur Agency, when the militants based in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province attacked a checkpost of the security forces at around 5:00am.
A soldier was killed and two others sustained injuries in the attack, the sources added.
“The security forces manning the checkpost returned the fire and killed 16 militants in retaliation,” said an official.
Local people said the exchange of fire between the two sides lasted an hour. They said the security forces were backed by gunship helicopters that flew in the area till 10:00am.
Meanwhile, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack and its spokesman Shahidullah Shahid in a phone call from an undisclosed location insisted that 10 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 10-12 were wounded in the assault. He conceded that one Taliban fighter was killed and three injured in the attack.
However, the claims made by the two sides couldn’t be confirmed from independent sources.
It was learnt that the forces tightened security in the areas bordering Kunar in a bid to prevent the militants from staging cross-border attacks.
It may be recalled that five suspected militants were killed in a clash with the security forces in the Manro Jangal area in Bajaur Agency near the Pak-Afghan border last Sunday. Militants operating in the border areas are believed to be planning more attacks now that the weather is warm.
APP adds from Islamabad: Pakistan lodged a strong protest with the Afghan authorities against the attack from the Afghan side and the matter was also taken up by Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul with the Afghan foreign ministry. The Foreign Office spokesperson in a statement said any allegations about shelling on Afghan civilians inside Afghanistan were incorrect and Pakistan aviation only fired on attacking terrorists.
The spokesperson said Pakistan’s concerns about miscreants and terrorists attacking from the other side of the border have been repeatedly shared with the Afghan authorities. “We hope effective steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. For its part, Pakistan will continue to exercise restraint and make efforts to maintain a conducive environment for constructive engagement,” said the spokesperson.
“We remain committed to maintaining a tranquil border, especially in the run up to second round of Afghan elections,” the spokesperson added.
Reuters adds: Afghan officials said an airstrike by Pakistani forces along the Afghan border killed four civilians on Saturday.
“A Pakistani army helicopter strike in Dangam district killed four civilians and wounded ten others,” said Abdul Habib Sayed Khel, police chief of Afghanistan’s Kunar province, adding that 124 rockets had landed in the province on Saturday alone.
Sources said the clash took place early in the morning near the Pak-Afghan border some 25 kilometres northwest of Khar, the administrative headquarters of Bajaur Agency, when the militants based in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province attacked a checkpost of the security forces at around 5:00am.
A soldier was killed and two others sustained injuries in the attack, the sources added.
“The security forces manning the checkpost returned the fire and killed 16 militants in retaliation,” said an official.
Local people said the exchange of fire between the two sides lasted an hour. They said the security forces were backed by gunship helicopters that flew in the area till 10:00am.
Meanwhile, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack and its spokesman Shahidullah Shahid in a phone call from an undisclosed location insisted that 10 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 10-12 were wounded in the assault. He conceded that one Taliban fighter was killed and three injured in the attack.
However, the claims made by the two sides couldn’t be confirmed from independent sources.
It was learnt that the forces tightened security in the areas bordering Kunar in a bid to prevent the militants from staging cross-border attacks.
It may be recalled that five suspected militants were killed in a clash with the security forces in the Manro Jangal area in Bajaur Agency near the Pak-Afghan border last Sunday. Militants operating in the border areas are believed to be planning more attacks now that the weather is warm.
APP adds from Islamabad: Pakistan lodged a strong protest with the Afghan authorities against the attack from the Afghan side and the matter was also taken up by Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul with the Afghan foreign ministry. The Foreign Office spokesperson in a statement said any allegations about shelling on Afghan civilians inside Afghanistan were incorrect and Pakistan aviation only fired on attacking terrorists.
The spokesperson said Pakistan’s concerns about miscreants and terrorists attacking from the other side of the border have been repeatedly shared with the Afghan authorities. “We hope effective steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. For its part, Pakistan will continue to exercise restraint and make efforts to maintain a conducive environment for constructive engagement,” said the spokesperson.
“We remain committed to maintaining a tranquil border, especially in the run up to second round of Afghan elections,” the spokesperson added.
Reuters adds: Afghan officials said an airstrike by Pakistani forces along the Afghan border killed four civilians on Saturday.
“A Pakistani army helicopter strike in Dangam district killed four civilians and wounded ten others,” said Abdul Habib Sayed Khel, police chief of Afghanistan’s Kunar province, adding that 124 rockets had landed in the province on Saturday alone.
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