By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - At least six Pakistani soldiers and 12 suspected militants have been killed in clashes near the Afghan border during the last two days, an official statement said on Friday.

A group of militants attacked a security check post in the Ladha area of South Waziristan district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, said Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of Pakistan Armed Forces, in a statement.

A large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives were also recovered from the militants.

The military further said that operations continue to eliminate any other militants present in the area.

On Thursday, a group of militants attempted to infiltrate Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Spinwamarea in the North Waziristan district. Security forces foiled their attempt and killed all seven militants.

Attacks on security forces have increased in recent months in Pakistan, especially in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Following a surge in attacks since the Taliban's recapture of Afghanistan in 2021, Islamabad has been urging Kabul not to allow militant groups to use its soil as a launch pad to attack Pakistani security forces. However, Kabul rejected Pakistan’s claim and said no one is allowed to use its territory against any neighbor.

North Waziristan and South Waziristan districts -- once dubbed the heartland of militancy -- are among seven former semi-autonomous tribal districts where the army has mounted a series of operations since 2014 to eliminate the TTP, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella organization of several militant groups operating in Pakistan.

Successive operations pushed the TTP toward neighboring Afghanistan and Islamabad claims the terror network has now set up bases across the border to attack Pakistani security forces.