Pakistan: 4 soldiers and 4 militants killed in attack on former Taliban position

The army said in a statement on Friday that "A former Taliban stronghold in the town of Maken, northwestern Pakistan, on the border with Afghanistan, was attacked during the night, which led to an exchange of fire that killed 4 soldiers and 4 militants.

The Pakistani army did not give any other details, stressing that the forces were still searching the area.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the mountainous region served as a headquarters for local and foreign militants until 2017, when the army said it had cleared the area of ​​militants after several operations.

In addition, the region continues to witness sporadic attacks targeting mainly the security forces. These incidents raised fears that the Pakistani Taliban may regroup.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share an internationally recognized border of 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) known as the Durand Line, which was drawn in the nineteenth century when the British took control of South Asia. Afghanistan has never recognized these borders, and the two sides often accuse each other of hatred.

J.O