Three others, including an officer, were also injured in the third attack since May 25. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
The posts came under fire from the Afghan side in the Manozangal and Mukha Tops areas of the Bajaur tribal region, one of seven such districts bordering Afghanistan.
"Terrorists from across the border fired on Pakistani border posts at Manozangal and Mukha Tops", a senior security official told AFP.
"Four soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom) and three others including an officer were injured," he added.
Pakistan's foreign ministry later said in a statement: "Islamabad condemns these unprovoked attacks."
It added that the matter had been raised with the Afghan government in Kabul and with their embassy in Islamabad.
"It has been emphasised that Afghanistan must take concrete steps to stop the use of its territory against Pakistan."
This is the third cross-border attack in Bajaur Agency in less than two weeks.
Previous incidents
On May 31, at least 14 militants were killed when Pakistani border guards had repelled a cross-border attack on a military post in the Warra Mamond tehsil of Bajaur Agency.
One border guard was killed and two others were critically wounded in the attack, an official of the security forces had told The Express Tribune. In a statement, the Foreign Office had put the number of attackers at 200-plus.
Islamabad had also lodged a protest over the May 31 attack with Afghanistan's deputy ambassador in Islamabad while the Pakistani ambassador in Kabul raised the matter with the Afghan foreign ministry.
On May 25, five paramilitary Frontier Corps soldiers were wounded in an attack on a check post. Security forces had claimed to have killed five militants in the retaliatory action. The paramilitary troops had chased the fleeing militants into Kaga Pass area where a check post was also set up.
COMMENTS (53)
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@Naeem Khan Manhattan,Ks:
You are not the only one sir to be surprised? Hillary Clinton too, who could not believe in the intelligence reports. Nor the Pakistan military who watched them taking sirinagar, Kashmir within twenty four hours! The Europeans call it a blitzkrieg which gave the surprise to Russians as well, and this shoud tell you their relations with the Germans too. They do not walk but run a marathon in battles and should tell the world the energy and the endurance kraft of such a force.
Rex Minor
@Naeem Khan Manhattan,Ks: Why is India interested in Afghanistan? We do not want a repeat of IC-184
@Afghan: OK, we will agree with you, but please please take back your country men out of Pakistan, if they don't want to go back to Afghanistan then send them to India, Indians will be happy to have them since India has more Muslims than Pakistan. By the way Indian Muslims are living in paradise so their Afghan brothers may enjoy that luxury too.
@Rex Minor: Why don't you pick up a map and realise how far is Qandhar from Peshawar. They might go back to Darra Adam Khel in the evening but certainly not Qandhar.
@Raj - USA: I am from Mardan and a Pukhtun, it seems like you know more about Pakistan and Afghanistan, and some of it is erroneous, than most of us Pakistanis do specially those who live near by Afghanistan. It seems to me that some one from your own country India is feeding you and you just go on and write it up. Why would you be so interested in the affairs of Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is really none of you Indians business, you are not their neighbor, we are, we were the ones who still has millions of Afghans living all over the country and specially in my home province K-P. How come your country did not opt to have all those refugees but Pakistanis got stuck with them. I wonder some time what propel you Indians to monitor Pakistani news papers and then spew venom towards Pakistan, I hardly could scan one paper in a day, I don't have time to be reading Indian news papers either. By the way Pukhtuns are in majority in Afghanistan and no matter what you Indians say or think, Pukhtuns has ruled Afghanistan for centuries and even India for a while and they will rule that country again. Just wait and see, the nefarious designs that you Indians are cooking up in Afghanistan against Pakistan will be exposed.
@stop aatta ghee and..
You are doing that any way just make it formal. We already have an alternative and if you dont know it is the Chabahar. It is funny as soon as chabahar port was opened pakistanis ran to Afghanistan for trade development.
Now I think it is the time that we Afghans take some solid actions and see what you need. Pakistan is dying of thirst, in this regard we should better manage our waters. Also pakistan is in crisis of enegery, for sure we can do seomthing about it too!
There is no blame game we just pay you back what you have paid us!
Commentataors want Afghanistan to control terrorists from attacking Pakistani citizens. Inadia also wants the same from Pakistan. When India demands that Pakistan control terrorists operating from its territory it is unreasonable demand. Oh the hypocrisy.
@hayat khan: Don't bring India into this. These people who are killing your soldiers are considered your stakeholders by Imran Khan and Ch. Nisar.
@Raj - USA: Spare me the talk of Afghan good will - there is no such thing. Afghanistan has long been a client state of India before the Soviet invasion. Even the Afghan refugees living in Pakistan won't speak ill of Pakistan until they leave. By nature the Afghan refugees are thankless and scheming which is why they even curse their adopted homes in the West where they fled to after living in Pakistan. I also live in North America and I know that the Afghanis I see in Canada who are mostly on welfare / state khayrat will still curse the state that gives them free money and housing when they don't work. The fact that Afghans play the blame game is only a way for them to hide their own failures as a nation. Have you seen how different Afghani groups all hate each other - whether Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara or Afghan Pakhtun - they can't get along with each other so they say always say we don't get along with each other because of outside interference. No one - least of all Afghans believe this nonsense since this has been the case for Afghanistan for the last 100 years when the British more or less created the state by legalizing Amir Abdul Rahman as Emir. I just want to see all Afghan refugees deported from Pakistan and the country build a big fence so they don't ever come back again or use the nation as a spring board for their asylum flights overseas.
Now, where is Karzai?
@Naeem Khan Manhattan,Ks: You are another one of those like Ghazi Khan with back bone! The Pakhtun from Mardan are not fully integrated with the Naants tion of Pashtuns whose leaders are mostly waziris, who do not brag or show white flag but act and act decsively. One can easily recognise them wearing black turbans and lunching shish Kebab in Peshawar restaurants and in the evening returning to their homes in Qandhar. .
Rex Minor
@Naeem Khan Manhattan,Ks: You are another one of those like Ghazi Khan with back bone! The Pakhtun from Mardan are not fully integrated with the Nation of Pashtuns whose leaders are mostly waziris, who do not brag or show white flag but act.
Rex Minor
@Naeem Khan Manhattan,Ks: So, you say that Pakistani forces should be allowed to pursue "terrorists" into Afghanistan, BUT Afghan/US/NATO forces cannot be permitted to pursue "good Taliban" Haqqani terrorists into their world famous Safe Havens in "Sovereign" Pakistan!!!!
It is easy to indulge in the blame game and forget that we are trying to achieve same peace objectives in the region. Those who are working to destabilize the region would love to see friction between both nations. We encourage the regional partners to work together and resolve any issues that are preventing both nations from forming a healthy working relationship. We have come too far and made too many sacrifices to let our common enemies gain advantage and let any differences hold precedence over ours shared objectives in the region. We repeat what James Blair Cunningham, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, said: “We do not have precise information about the attacks and Washington will continue to encourage the two neighbors to resolve the issue through negotiations.”
Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
I think it is time for Pakistan to have air force base near Swat, Dir and Bajaur areas where it will take few minutes for fighter jets to be air born and chasing these criminals even into Afghanistan because it seems Karzai is getting too big for his britches, if he does not want to stop them then he should have the guts enough to send his own jets to intercept Pakistani pilots. I am from Mardan and a Pukhtun but enough is enough.
@Singh: typo.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: @khalid khan bangash: @Afghan:
There is lot of truth in what @Khalid khan bangash is saying. I know many Afghans here in US and have known them since late 80' and early 90's. They all fled Afghanistan and migrated to US in the late 80's through Pakistan. At that time they had immense goodwill for Pakistan. Then Pakistan started to install talibans in Afghanistan. Operations like Benazir Bhutto sanctioned and Hamid Gul executed operation like that of capture of Jalalabad failed. Pakistan started pushing Saudi Arabia and UAE to recognize tliban government in Afghanistan. Pakistan, at that time, was thinking that Afghanistan is their colony. The immense goodwill that Afghanis had for Pakistan for providing them refuge during the soviet occupation vanished. Most Afghans and almost all educated and affluent Afghans who have migrated to US and Europe hate Pakistan. They all blame Pakistan and not talibans for the destruction of Bamyan Buddhas also. Issues on Pakistan's continued support for talibans, Mulla Omar (calling him amir ul momineen), mulla Baradar and Mulla Zaif have also created deep distrust amongst Afghans for Pakistan. Pakistan has no idea how it sounds to the Afghans when Pakistan issues statements that they want Aghan led and Afghan owned government in Pakistan. Afghans think that it is none of the business of Pakistan to talk on the government in Afghanistan or have any say in it. Every attack by Pakistan sponsored talibans/terrorists on India-built Afghan Parliament, India-built hospitals and Indian Embassy buildings only creates more hate for Pakistan in the minds of Afghans. Ask any Afghan here in US, and he would blame Pakistan for the hijacking of Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar in the December 1999 that forced India to release three terrorists viz., Maulana Masood Azhar (who later founded Jeish e mohammad in Pakistan and also tried to kill Musharraf), Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh (who killed Daniel Pearl) and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan may think that Pakistan should have a say in Afghan Government as there are more Pukhtoons living in Pakistan than in Afghanistan. In total contrast, Pakistan also thinks that they speak for the muslims of India though there are more muslims in India than in Pakistan.
I don't know what to say to those people who say that afghans have stayed in Pakistan for the last 3 decades and we should stop ghee and aata. Guys listen, why should Afghans not be angry at Pakistan since Pakistan has housed Taliban for the last decade which has inflicted death to common Afghans. Pakistan claims to support Pakhtoons, is Karzai a Tajik or was Dr najib a Tajik. Pakistan cannot simply see Afghanistan prosper that is why it is supporting bandits and criminal such as Taliban, hekmatyaar and haqqani. If you play with fire, the fire will also reach your house. Pakistan should realise that the situation of the game is not in their favour. Afghanistan has just one problem and that is Taliban. Whereas Pakistan has multiple problems such as TTP, baloch separatism, shia v sunni, polio attacks, Karachi etc. Stop playing with fire otherwise people are smart enough to exploit the multiple problems of Pakistan to their own benefits.
pakistanis gets better taste now!!
@Usman:
You can sure show a lot of valour with your mouth; now cool down your passions and join the army to receive the honour to confront the warriors who do not show white flag!
Rex Minor
Can we please arrange the humane and dignified return of the 3m afghans in Pakistan now.
There is no reason for them to be in Pakistan now.
There are elections in Afghanistan, billions of dollars of foreign aid, new roads, dams, telecoms, over 400,000 security personnel.
@Waseem Sarwar: Soul or Soil.
@Sohaib: or maybe an Indian with fake Afghan name.
@ajeet: India is not controlling their own territory held by Naxalites in 240 district out of some 600 districts of India.
@Afghanistan: How about the game you have been paying with your Indian masters since 1947. Afghanistan is wasting its time following the orders of Indian intelligence agencies to cause trouble in Pakistan. It has failed the last 60 years and despite Afghan interference, Pakistan has let millions of Afghan refugees live in Pakistan. Afghanistan should focus on improving its country instead of being an Indian puppet state like it has for 60 years. Some Afghans may talk big but the reality is that most want to run away and live like refugees all over the world. Would it not be better to build your own country?
@Son of the soil: Two.wrongs dont make a right. Why make the poor people of Afghanistan suffer. It is a few afghans who.hav such mentality. Even if u stop food, they will b forced to grow poppy plants. Thwn we will acuse them of as drug mafia. We r boths muslims on.each side. We must both find our mistakes and fix.them. then we should extend a friendship hand to each other without any hidden.agenda.
So much bluster coming from those who have never won a war towards those who have never lost one
stop aatta ghee and other commodities entering in afghanistan seal borders . No transit trade until Afghans come to their knees . enough is enough . Stoping food items into afghanistan will also help controlling prices in Pakistan
These Afghan SOBs need to be taught a a good lesson. I think the last strike inside there land was not enough. This time we should go out all guns blazing so we could wipe this filth out from the face of this earth.
This is what happens when you can't control your own territory.
@Afghan:
"Afghans always teaching others lessons."
LOL. I'm sure you're an Indian pretending to be an Afghan -- an irony. However, in case you're really what you claim to be, then why over 5 million of you ran from your country and took refuge in Pakistan? And still are afraid to go back home even after passing 30 years. Such an ungrateful nation.
@Afghan: Sure! Teach us a lesson... But first tell me are you in Afghanistan or you are also an immigrant living in Pakistan like millions other Afghanis?
@Afghan
How about you teach us a lesson by accommodating all the afghans residing in Pakistan?
@Afghan
We don't have to attack you to win. All we need to do is send back your country men.
@Usman: You are a baby, who born in 1947. Don't have a go with your parents, who have experience of giving lesson to Alexander the great,Changez, British empire,Russians and now the USA. The issue you are facing now is what part of a game you have been playing with us since 1970 and don't forget the theory of "every action has reaction" or "tit for tat response".It is hurting, isn't it?
@Afghan: @Zaida P: Everything has a first time. Why not take back millions from our soul and then have an open confrontation. Then you people can restore your claim on Pukhtoon lands on both side of border but for lord's sake, leave us first. Pakistan should chase these attackers on both side of border without any hesitation.
@Memoona: Martyr or killed? What's the difference? Why aren't you more concerned that lives were lost.
@khalid khan bangash Cry me a river ! What about all the times that the "agencies" tried to control who got into power in Afghanistan? It never pays to be too clever.
@Afghan:
Please take all your Afghan brothers and sisters from Pakistani territories before thinking about having 'a go" at Pakistan.
@Zaida P:
Russian tried controlling the country. We just need to make them understand to stay on there side one way or another
@khalid khan bangash: Sad , sad state of affairs hehe,call it karma.
They must be followed in Afganistan and killed - because without distroying their hideouts nothing can be done
This is what happens when there is no Pukhtoon representation in the central government in Afghanistan. Without Pukhtoon representation (almost 60% Afghan population), Kabul government is illegitimate. They have no qualms about killing Pukhtoons on both sides of their border.
Pakistan as a country is forgiving and merciful, but they should not take this for weakness.
@Usman Bring it on. You meant we need to give you another lesson, dont forget history has it recorded that it has been Afghans always teaching others lessons. Maybe we should have another go on you guys...!
@Usman: When Russia and America could not take on the Afghans and defeat them convincingly, what are the chances for Pakistan?
it is the war of pak and india at the boarder of pak and afgan.
And these people from Afghanistan still have millions living on Pakistani soil including my beloved homeland khyber and Fata. What an unfortunate and sad group of people. Tens of thousands of these people fled to the West on PAKISTANI visas. These were the same people who tried to de-stabilise Pakistan since day 1. What's even more interesting is that they are FREQUENTLY hanged in neighbouring Iran on drugs, smuggling and molestation charges but here they ply their trade without any problems. Sad , sad state of affairs
E.T: please publish as I didn't say anything wrong and this is the sad truth
@Memoona: Our English media is allergic to the word Shaheed.
As usual Pakistan has started fighting with its neighbors. Nothing new.
how can you address the death of soldiers as "killing" when they are surely "martyrs"! there is difference between the terms.. these people SHOULD be respected!
This time, I don't want the FO to wait for 2 weeks before issuing a stern warning to the Afghans. They never learn their lesson.
Now "cross-border" has a whole new meaning to it.