One Pakistani soldier dead in heavy fighting with Afghan border forces

One Pakistani soldier dead in heavy fighting with Afghan border forces

2011-02-03 06:01:16 GMT+7 (ICT)

MIRANSHAH, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- One Pakistani soldier on Wednesday was killed after Afghan and Pakistani border troops engaged in heavy fighting, Ary News Television reported.

The shooting began at about 11:00 a.m. local time as border guards exchanged fire across the Pakistani-Afghan border near the southeastern province of Khost.

Three Pakistani soldiers were injured while one another one was killed during the combat. Afghan forces did not report any casualties.

Both sides blamed each other for initiating the attack. Afghan troops fired mortar shells at a Pakistani military checkpost in the Parachinar tribal region.

An Afghan security post was hit with artillery and mortars by Pakistani soldiers. The shooting continued in the Ghulam Khan area of Gurbaz district.

General Almar Gul Mangal, commander of the Afghan border police's fourth battalion in Khost, blamed Pakistani troops of causing the heavy fire exchange.

In contrast, a government official of Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region said NATO-led forces hit a paramilitary post in Ghulam Khan with heavy weapons from across the border.

The NATO's office in Kabul said that an investigation was launched to determine who initiated the shooting.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-03