Hundreds of Afghan militants attack Pakistani border posts, killing 25

Hundreds of Afghan militants attack Pakistani border posts, killing 25

2011-08-27 23:39:40 GMT+7 (ICT)

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Hundreds of Afghan militants attacked border posts in Pakistan's northern district of Chitral on Saturday morning, officials said, killing 25 Pakistani security forces.

The attack began when some 200 to 300 militants crossed the border from Afghanistan's Kunar and Nuristan provinces into Pakistan, where they attacked seven border posts with heavy weapons and rockets.

"Own security personnel defended the posts by engaging the attackers and reportedly 20 terrorists were killed," the Pakistani government said in a statement. "However, two border posts were overrun by the terrorists. Reinforcements have been sent to beef up the border posts."

The Pakistani government confirmed 25 of its security forces personnel were killed in the attack, including 16 Frontier Scouts KPK, four policemen, and five Levies. Twenty Afghan militants were also killed.

"Due to scanty presence of NATO and [Afghan National Army (ANA)] forces along Pak-Afghan border, the terrorists are using these areas as safe havens and have mounted repeated attacks against [Pakistani] security forces posts and isolated villages," the Pakistani government said.

The statement said it has been sharing 'accurate intelligence' with NATO Afghan officials in Kunar and Nuristan provinces, but accuses them of not acting upon it. "No worthwhile action has been taken against the terrorists and attacks against Pakistani border posts have continued with impunity," the statement added.

The Pakistani-Afghan border, which the United States considers to be the most dangerous place on Earth, is known to be a stronghold of the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network, considered one of the top terrorist organizations and threats to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-27