KURRAM: Five soldiers were martyred and four others suffered injuries when terrorists from across the Afghan border attacked a post in Kurram tribal district during Saturday-Sunday night.

Informed sources said that Angoor Tangi, a check-post adjacent to Afghanistan’s Khost province, was targeted by the attackers.

The sources said that firing between members of security forces and terrorists began at 8pm Saturday and continued for three hours.

They said that insurgents from the Afghan side made several attempts to damage the fence along the Pak-Afghan border.

The Inter-Services Public Relations, the armed forces’ media affairs wing, confirmed the incident and said that security forces responded in a befitting manner to the terrorist attack.

According to intelligence reports, terrorists suffered heavy causalities when security forces returned fire.

However, in the exchange of fire, Lance Naik Ajab Noor, 34, a resident of Karachi; Sepoy Ziaullah Khan, 22, a resident of Lakki Marwat; Sepoy Naheed Iqbal, 23, a resident of Karak; Sepoy Sameerullah Khan,18, a resident of Bannu; and Sepoy Sajid Ali, 27, a resident of Bahawalnagar, embraced martyrdom.

The sources said that another four members of security forces suffered injuries.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed condemned the attack on Pakistani troops in Kurram district from across the Afghan border.

The minister expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of five security personnel in the attack.

Mr Ahmed asked the Taliban regime in Afghanistan to fulfil its promise and stop cross-border terrorist attacks.

Paying homage to sacrifices rendered by members of armed forces, the minister said that their sacrifices would not go in vain.

The ISPR said that Pakistan strongly condemned the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for activities against Pakistan and expected the Afghan government not to allow such activities in future.

The ISPR statement said that Pak Army was determined to defend the country’s borders against terrorists and sacrifices of “our brave men will further strengthen our resolve”.

Terrorist attacks against Pakistan have witnessed a sharp increase after the fall of pro-US Ghani government in Afghanistan and the victory of the Taliban in August last year.

Meanwhile, security forces killed a would-be suicide bomber during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) near Dial road in Tank district on Sunday.

The army said that members of security forces launched the operation on “confirmed intelligence reports” about the presence of terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). During the operation, a would-be suicide bomber was killed.