AFGHAN BORDER

Militants in Pakistan kill six soldiers

REUTERS, Peshawar

Islamist militants killed six Pakistani soldiers in an exchange of fire with the military in a northwestern tribal district bordering Afghanistan, the army said yesterday.

The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella group of several Sunni Muslim militant groups, claimed responsibility.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences to the grieved families. “No matter how long the battle, our valiant armed forces, with the support of the nation, will root out terrorism in its entirety,” he said in a statement.

The bloodshed came after Pakistan declared a new offensive against militants following a resurgence of attacks, including a mosque bombing that killed more than 100 people in February.