Dozens of militants ambushed Pakistani troops on Friday, killing a soldier and sparking clashes that left up to 25 insurgents dead in Mamuzai area of Orakzai, officials said.
Members of the Frontier Corps paramilitary were attacked while driving through the Mamuzai area of Orakzai, the stronghold of Hakimullah Meshud, the leader of the nebulous Pakistani Taliban faction.
“Around 50 local militants, waiting on both sides of the road, opened fire on the convoy. One soldier was killed and more than 20 were wounded,” a paramilitary official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The were ambushed at around 7:30 am and ensuing clashes lasted around 40 minutes, the official said.
“The troops, backed by helicopters, retaliated and killed at least 25 militants,” he added.
Sher Bahadur Khan, an administration official in Orakzai, gave the same casualty numbers but independent confirmation of the toll was not possible in an area cut off to journalists and aid workers.
