Pakistan complains of new cross-border Afghan attacks

PESHAWAR: Pakistan said Monday that dozens of Taliban infiltrated from Afghanistan to attack a check post, killing one soldier as mutual recriminations over cross-border attacks intensified.

It was the latest in a series of alleged cross-border incidents that have raised tensions between the neighbours even as officials confirmed exploratory peace contacts between Afghanistan, the United States and the Taliban.

Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said one soldier was killed and another wounded in the attack on the post in the tribal district in Bajaur, about three kilometres from the Afghan border.

"Since Bajaur has been cleared by the military, the military is present in the area so this attack has to come from the other side," he said.

Local administration official Islam Zeb told AFP that more than 100 Afghan Taliban attacked the paramilitary check post in the Kitkot area of the Mamoond district of Bajaur early Monday, and confirmed the casualties.

"The Pakistan army and Frontier Crops (paramilitary) retaliated and exchanged fire," before the militants fled back to Afghanistan, he said.

In North Waziristan district, officials said four Pakistanis were wounded by a mortar attack from Afghanistan.

Doctor Mubarak Khan said two children aged eight and 13 were among the wounded. Officials said the shell hit Bangedar village in the Ghulam Khan district, and had been fired from the eastern Afghan province of Khost.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011