Three Pakistan Army personnel killed in exchange of fire with militants

The exchange of fire took place in the Kurram district of the province, which also led to the killing of two terrorists, Pakistan military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations said.

“At least three Pakistan Army personnel were killed in an exchange of fire with militants in Pakistan’s restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province,” a military statement said.

The exchange of fire took place in the Kurram district of the province, which also led to the killing of two terrorists, Pakistan military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations ( ISPR), said.

“The soldiers were identified as Subedar Shuja Muhammad (43), Khuzdar Naik Muhammad Ramzan (32) and Sukkur Sepoy Abdul Rehman (30),” it said.

The exchange of fire took place when troops raided a hideout in a former militant stronghold near the Afghan border, the statement said, adding that the raid was carried out to eliminate terrorists from the area.

"Pakistan Army is determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," the statement said.

The incident came amid a spike in terrorist attacks across the country claimed mostly by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which unilaterally scrapped a ceasefire in November, effectively ending a start-stop negotiation process brokered by the Afghan Taliban, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.