Militant attacks kill four soldiers in Pakistan

Islamabad: Four Pakistani soldiers have been killed in two separate militant attacks in the tribal northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan, the military said on Saturday.

The attacks took place on Friday in Dir area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Spin Wam area of North Waziristan.

The militants from Afghanistan targeted the security forces who were working on fencing of the porous border in Dir area, killing three soldiers and wounding another, the Pakistan Army said.

In a separate incident, the militants opened fire on a routine patrolling party of the security forces in Spin Wam area. A soldier was killed in the attack, the army said, adding that the two attackers were also killed in retaliation.

The army launched a massive operation in 2014 to destroy militant bases in North Waziristan and end a near decade-long insurgency in the region.

Operation Zarb-e-Azb (sharp and cutting strike) was launched on June 15, 2014 to clear North Waziristan of local and foreign militants in the Taliban stronghold.