Islamabad - Saba:
Eight soldiers were killed and seven policemen were kidnapped in two separate attacks on Monday evening in northwestern Pakistan.
“Eight soldiers and nine attackers were killed and seven others injured” in an attack claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, according to a Pakistani intelligence officer quoted by AFP.
He explained that the attack was carried out on Monday evening by gunmen who targeted a Frontier Corps checkpoint in the Tirah area of the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan.
“The exchange of fire between the two sides lasted for several hours,” he added.
In a separate attack, “seven policemen were kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination,” AFP quoted a senior police officer as saying on condition of anonymity.
The officer explained that gunmen surrounded a police checkpoint in Bannu district, also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and seized police weapons.
Another police officer, Mohammad Ziauddin, confirmed the abduction of the seven policemen.
Pakistan has seen an increase in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban in areas bordering Afghanistan.
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