Three soldiers martyred in militant shootout on the Afghan border

MIRANSHAH: Three Pakistani soldiers were martyred on Friday when militants launched an attack on army posts along the border with Afghanistan from across the frontier, military officials said.

The shootout, which also left five insurgents dead, occurred in the Shawal area of North Waziristan tribal district, part of a semi-autonomous region where the army has been battling Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants for years.

A statement from the Pakistan army said "multiple" assaults were launched on bases along the border.

"Security forces valiantly repulsed all attempts to overrun posts and inflict major damage," the statement said.

The latest attack came hours after reports that a US drone strike had killed the Pakistani Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah, who had established sanctuaries in Afghan areas.