4 Pakistani soldiers killed in rocket fire

Afghan officials have long accused Pakistan of tolerating or even supporting the Afghan Taleban, a charge denied by Pakistan.

By Reuters

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Published: Mon 24 Aug 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Mon 24 Aug 2015, 9:50 AM

Islamabad: Pakistan said militants firing from Afghan territory killed four of its soldiers along the border on Sunday, as tensions continue to rise between the neighbours.
Afghanistan and Pakistan accuse each other of doing too little to prevent Taleban fighters and other militants from operating on their territory.
The army's Press wing said four soldiers "embraced martyrdom" and four others were wounded by heavy weapons fired across the Afghan border in the 8,000 foot-high Akhandwala Pass.
Pakistani troops befittingly responded and eliminated the group of terrorists," the statement said.
Afghanistan recently accused Pakistan of not doing enough to arrest Afghan Taleban leaders who have been meeting to decide on a successor to the group's founder Mullah Omar, whose death was confirmed last month.
Kabul officials say the Taleban are meeting semi-openly in Pakistan. Islamabad insists any such meetings are held in Afghanistan. - Reuters
Afghan officials have long accused Pakistan of tolerating or even supporting the Afghan Taleban, a charge denied by Pakistan.
For its part, Islamabad says the leadership of the Pakistani Taleban - a group loosely allied with the Afghan Taleban but fighting mostly against Pakistan's government - is based in Afghanistan.
Last year new Afghan President Ashraf Ghani made closer ties with Pakistan a priority, hoping Islamabad could push Afghan Taleban leaders to the bargaining table to end Afghanistan's long war.
The new relationship appeared to yield fruit last month with groundbreaking first official peace talks with the Taleban. But after the news of Mullah Omar's death, the process was suspended and the Taleban launched a wave of attacks in Kabul.


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