A senior official confirmed that three security personnel had also been injured and seven had gone missing.
“The shootout took place in lower Kurram, right on the border with North Waziristan,” the official said.
The area is a rugged mountainous terrain, where security officials have been trying to block the route used by militants to move from one tribal area to another.
This is the second attack in Kurram in less than a week. Earlier, at least eight security personnel and 35 militants were killed in an attack on a newly established security post in central Kurram.
The heights of Kurram are of strategic importance because of their natural connectivity from Tirah valley of Khyber to North Waziristan.
Shelling in upper Orakzai
Security forces carried out shelling in the Kaago, Qamar and Tor Simat area, killing six militants and destroying two hideouts, official sources said.
COMMENTS (16)
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In response to some of the comments, i would just say that to be killed by those who are so called friends is much more than those who are declared so called enemies,,,,,
YES ! Maj. Devis , your observations are absolutely correct .
The New Year has seen a surge in terrorist attacks on Pakistani forces. We saw another one yesterday by the TTP who claimed responsibility. Our condolences go out to the families of the seven soldiers killed. Have we noticed that over the last month more than 75 brave Pakistani soldiers have been killed in terrorist attacks? The US-Pakistan relationship has suffered some setbacks in the last few months and the terrorists have taken advantage of this. Now is the time to focus on our relationship and cooperation and together turn our attention on the common enemy. Flushing them out from their hideouts and eliminating them is the only way peace can return to the region, which has already suffered much at the hands of the terrorists.
Maj David Nevers DET-United States Central Command www.centcom.mil/ur
It ofcourse a Pakistan's war and they have to fight to save Pakistan.
@shaheen1shaheen2: get a life, stop using the tired old line 'Pak Army is fighting to on America's behest'. TTP is not killing Americans, it is killing Pakistanis. This is Pakistan's war now, whether we like it or not.
@Aarvey,india: I think people like you forgets it and unable to differentiate that every time that the TTP Talibans are the ENEMY of Pakistan with whom our army is fighting, while NATO is considered "FRIENDLY" force.
Catalyst of uproar is media and i blame them for not giving enough coverage to our defenders
the way the taliban are dying... 30 here 50 there and 18 today... they should be finished by now no?
@Aarvey,india:
When an Ally kills you , INTENTIONALLY , it matters alot
and these soldiers died in on-going military operation
otherwise in both cases they embrace shahadat in serving PAKISTAN
Too bad that NATO forces didnt kill them. If the TTP kill our soldiers no one seems to care or express outrage.
Innocent soldiers are dying because of arrogance shown by the generals.
how long will this drama of 'fighting' continue? :)
How come the religious parties and the establishment are oblivious to this second round of killing of the 7 security personnel. Because they were not killed by NATO ? I think their lives are far cheaper than the 24 killed by accident at salalah? Nice going Pakistan! Just the indifference to this killing is evident by the absolute lack of comments to this newspost.
People who sacrifice their present for our future, SALUTE U SHAHEEDO
RIP