PESHAWAR, June 30: An exchange of fire took place on Monday between the Pakistani and Afghan troops at the Mohmand tribal region border with Afghanistan, 100km to the northwest of here, on Monday.

Government officials said the Pakistani troops, patrolling a village on the border, came under fire from the Afghan militia. “There were no casualties on our side and we hope there are none on the other side either,” one official commented.

The border skirmish came just when Pakistan announced last week its forces had established control over the hitherto administratively inaccessible tribal region after fighting off armed tribesmen opposed to Islamabad’s rule.

Officials said the Monday clashes continued for about three hours.