Three soldiers were martyred in the Dewagar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district during an exchange of fire with terrorists from across the Afghan border, the military's media affairs wing said on Saturday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), terrorists opened fire on Pakistani troops from across the Afghan border and the latter "responded in a befitting manner".

"As per credible intelligence reports, due to fire of own troops, terrorists suffered heavy casualties," the ISPR said, adding that three soldiers embraced martyrdom after fighting gallantly.

The martyred soldiers have been identified as 30-year-old Havaldar Taimoor, a resident of Jhelum; 38-year-old Naik Shoaib, a resident of Attock; and 24-year-old Sepoy Saqib Nawaz, a resident of Sialkot.

"Pakistan strongly condemns the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for activities against Pakistan and expects that [the] Afghan government will not allow conduct of such activities in [the] future," the ISPR said, adding that the Pakistan Army "is determined to defend Pakistan's borders against the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve".

Earlier on April 14, eight soldiers were martyred in two terrorist attacks in North Waziristan.

In one incident, seven soldiers were martyred when terrorists had ambushed a vehicle of security forces in Datakhel tehsil of the North Waziristan district by terrorists operating from Afghanistan, according to the Foreign Office.

Separately, another soldier was martyred during a clash between security forces and terrorists in the district's Isham area.

Last month, four soldiers had embraced martyrdom in North Waziristan's Hassan Khel area during an exchange of fire with terrorists who attempted to infiltrate into Pakistan from Afghanistan on the night between March 23 and March 24.

In the last few days, incidents along Pak-Afghan border had significantly increased, in which Pakistani security forces were being targeted from across the border.

Last week, the Foreign Office had urged the Afghan government to secure the Pak-Afghan border region and take stern actions against the individuals involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan, in the interest of peace and progress of the two brotherly countries.

The FO, in the statement, had recalled that Pakistan had repeatedly requested the Afghan government over the last few months to secure the Pak-Afghan border region. "Terrorists are using Afghan soil with impunity to carry out activities inside Pakistan."