PESHAWAR: Two soldiers and three suspected militants were killed in a gunfight in Frontier Region Bannu adjacent to the North Waziristan tribal region on Thursday.

Officials said that militants attacked the Khadim Hussain Shaheed checkpost before dawn, triggering a shootout. During the heavy exchange of fire, two soldiers lost their lives. Three attackers were also killed in the clash, they added.

“Around 10 militants attacked the security forces’ checkpost outside Bannu suddenly under cover of darkness,” a senior security official in the area told AFP.

A local administration official confirmed the attack and causalities. The army began a major campaign against the Taliban and other militant strongholds in North Wazi­ristan in June last year and made significant progress.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2015

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