Six Pakistani soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire with Islamist militants in a northwestern tribal district bordering Afghanistan, the army announced on Thursday.
According to Reuters, the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident took place in North Waziristan, near Afghanistan border, which has long been a hotbed of Islamist militants who operate on both sides of the border.
This attack comes after Pakistan declared a new offensive against militants following a resurgence of attacks, including a mosque bombing that killed more than 100 people in February.
Islamabad accuses Islamist militants, who want to establish a hardline version of Islamic law in Pakistan, of enjoying safe haven in Afghanistan to plan and execute the attacks, a charge Kabul denies.
The Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Mutaqi, who is under the UN Security Council sanctions, has been granted permission by the council to travel to Pakistan for talks with Pakistani officials and the Chinese Foreign Minister, who will arrive in Islamabad on Friday.
