Pakistani army soldier killed in North Waziristan

A Pakistani army soldier was killed after the "terrorists from Afghanistan" opened fire on the army troops Dwatoi area of North Waziristan district, the country's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday.

According to the ISPR handout, the incident occurred on Monday as terrorists from inside Afghanistan opened fire, reported the Dawn.

"Own troops responded in a befitting manner. As per credible intelligence reports, due to fire of own troops, terrorists suffered heavy casualties," ISPR said, adding that 34-year-old soldier, Nazar Muhammad, a resident of Jaffarabad, was killed during the exchange of fire.

"Pakistan strongly condemns the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for activities against Pakistan and expects that the interim Afghan government will not allow the conduct of such activities, in future."

"Pakistan Army is determined to defend Pakistan's borders against the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," the ISPR concluded.

Last week, three Pakistan Army soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire with terrorists across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Kurram district. As per ISPR, the terrorists inside Afghanistan opened fire on Pakistani troops in the general area of Kharlachi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, reported the Dawn.

Clashes between security forces and suspected terrorists in the North Waziristan tribal district have become quite frequent in recent months. In recent months, several cases of open firings and bomb attacks have been reported in Pakistan. These increased terror activities in Pakistan border areas, especially in the North Waziristan district have been costing the lives of several Pakistani soldiers.

Earlier, on September 6, five Pakistani soldiers were killed in the Boyya area of North Waziristan in an intense fire exchange during the conduct of the Intelligence Based Operation (IBO).

Reportedly, these militants have their bases in Afghanistan. They enter Pakistan from Afghanistan and after launching attacks on the former, retreat to their bases in Afghanistan.

Further, terrorist organizations like the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have also been working from the Afghan bases, planning attacks against Pakistan.

The porous border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been a stronghold for the Pakistani Taliban, a banned terrorist group in Pakistan, for decades. The group has carried out various terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the officials in the country have claimed that the members of the group found shelter in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Earlier, a total of 105 army personnel lost lives in such terrorist attacks within the first three months of this year, recording 97 soldiers and army officers, according to Pakistan Vernacular Media.