Two Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in an exchange of fire with terrorists across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district on Wednesday, the military’s media affairs wing said in a statement.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), terrorists inside Afghanistan opened fire on a military checkpost in the Dwatoi area of North Waziristan. Pakistan Army troops responded in a “befitting manner”, it said.
During the exchange of fire, two soldiers identified as 35-year-old Lance Naik Pervaiz and 43-year-old Havaldar Saleem were martyred, the ISPR statement said.
The ISPR said it strongly condemned the “continuous use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan”, adding that Pakistan has “consistently been asking Afghanistan to ensure effective border control on their side”.
Such attacks have become more frequent recently. In May, at least five soldiers were martyred and seven others injured in multiple incidents of cross-border fire from Afghanistan.
Last month, Pakistan Army’s top brass had taken serious notice of the cross-border firing incidents emanating from Afghanistan and regrouping of terrorist leadership and outfits across the border, and expressed the hope that Afghanistan’s soil “will not be used against Pakistan”.
“In light of emerging regional security situation, Pakistan has taken effective border management measures and the same is expected from Afghanistan to deny any space to spoilers of peace,” the commanders stressed during the 241st Corps Commanders Conference.
