Soldier martyred in cross-border attack in Mohmand Agency, says ISPR

A soldier deployed at a checkpost in Mohmand Agency near Pak-Afghan border embraced martyrdom on Thursday during an exchange of fire with militants who raided the post from across the border, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations further claimed that the Pakistani forces “effectively responded” and killed three “terrorists”.

The soldier who embraced martyrdom has been identified as Sepoy Farman Ullah, aged 21.

Earlier this month, five Frontier Corps (FC) personnel deployed on the Pak-Afghan border were martyred, while five were injured in an attack from across the border.

 

The attack was carried out from the Khost province of Afghanistan on a border post in Laka Tika area of Lower Kurram Agency, officials of the political administration in Kurram Agency said.

Pakistan began fencing the Pak-Afghan border last year to prevent terrorists from crossing into the country from Afghanistan.

The two countries accuse the other of harbouring their militant enemies — both deny the other's charges.

In December, it was reported that the Pakistan military has been pressing ahead with its plan to completely fence the 1,500-kilometre-long portion of the Pak-Afghan border billed as one of the most porous and perilous border regions in the world.

Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of vehicles are deployed at 14 different sites on a daily basis to undertake the arduous task of fencing the Pak-Afghan border — from Chitral to South Waziristan — putting in 7,000 man-hours for the installation of fabricated material.

The first phase of the project is likely to be completed by the end of 2018, which will see the fencing of 432km at the most critical points along the border.

The stepped-up fortifications have angered Kabul