Six Pakistan soldiers killed in attack near Afghanistan border

Six Pakistan soldiers killed in attack near Afghanistan border

Before a fierce exchange of fire in the North Waziristan region, military vehicles were ambushed, according to the army.

According to a statement from the army, six Pakistani soldiers and four armed fighters from the Pakistan Taliban were killed in a confrontation that took place close to the Afghan-Pakistani border.

“On August 22, 2023, [a] fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists in general area Asman Manza, South Waziristan District,” the Pakistani Army’s ISPR said in a statement on Tuesday.

It was established that “four terrorists were sent to hell, while two terrorists were injured,” and that “six brave soldiers, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom after an intense exchange of fire.”

The army said that North Waziristan was the scene of the conflict.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack and stated that its members had ambushed two military trucks.

Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, visited Kabul last month and relayed Islamabad’s worries about cross-border strikes, according to Brigadier Saad Muhammad, a former Pakistani military official who once served as a defence attache to Afghanistan.

“In my opinion, the Afghan Taliban will need time to control the militants on their border,” Muhammad told Al Jazeera. Pakistan has complained to the Afghan government about cross-border violence.

It is not a switch that can be turned on or off. Pakistan should be patient until the end of the year at the very least. It will benefit us if there are fewer brutal attacks coming across the border.