Four Pakistani soldiers killed in Afghan rocket attack: ISPR

ISPR says Pakistani troops befittingly responded; Foreign Office summons Afghan envoy to lodge protest

ISLAMABAD: At least four soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed and four others were injured on Sunday as militant groups fired rockets from across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Agency.

“Four Pakistan Army soldiers were killed and four others injured due to rocket fire,” an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.

"According to reports, rounds fired from Afghanistan side opposite Khyber Agency by terrorists hit a 8,000 feet high Pakistani post in Akhandwala Pass," the statement added.

"Pakistani troops befittingly responded and eliminated the group of terrorists."

Read: Cross-border fire from Afghanistan injures two

The attack comes a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani reiterated his call on Pakistan to adopt the “same definition” for terrorism for attacks in Afghanistan as it does for attacks across the Durand Line.

“Pakistan should have an understanding of the situation in Afghanistan and use the same definition of terrorism with regards to Afghanistan as it does domestically,” Ghani said in a meeting with outgoing Swedish Ambassador to Afghanistan Peter Semneby.

In a statement released from the Afghan Presidential Palace, Ghani added the region and the world were in agreement with Afghanistan on the fight against terrorism, especially on the links between terrorism and criminal economy.

Pakistan lodges protest with Afghan envoy

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office summoned Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Janan Mosazai and lodged protest over the killing of four soldiers in the rocket attack.

“The Ministry lodged a strong protest against the mortar shelling from Afghanistan in Khyber Agency this morning…,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Read: Ghani urges Pakistan to use same definition of terrorism for Afghanistan as it does domestically

It is the second time Pakistan has called the Afghan ambassador to the foreign ministry in less than a week amid growing tensions between the two countries.

“The Afghan envoy was asked to urge his government to investigate the incident and share the result of the inquiry with the Government of Pakistan,” the statement added. “Pakistan fully condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations and is willing to collaborate with Afghanistan to fight the common enemy. However, the attacks against our military personnel are unacceptable.”

The Afghan ambassador said he would convey the message to the authorities concerned, and also expressed condolences on the killings, the statement added.