Militants kill at least 6 Pakistan soldiers near Afghan border  

FILE - A soldier stands guard along a border fence on the border with Afghanistan in North Waziristan, Pakistan, Oct. 18, 2017. Militant attacks against Pakistani security outposts Friday reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least six soldiers and injuries to 14 others.

Militant attacks against security outposts in Pakistan’s northwestern border region Friday resulted in the deaths of at least six soldiers and injuries to 14 others, while 12 assailants were killed in return fire. The predawn clashes occurred in militancy-hit districts of South Waziristan and neighboring North Waziristan bordering Afghanistan. The wounded include at least four soldiers who were described as “seriously injured.” Multiple local security officials confirmed the casualties to VOA on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The Pakistani military’s media wing later released a statement confirming the fatalities of both militants and troops but did not mention any injuries suffered by the soldiers during the two attacks. The statement reported that a group of militants attacked a security outpost in South Waziristan, triggering an “intense exchange of fire” between the two sides, resulting in the death of six personnel and five assailants. The military stated that seven militants were killed while attempting to "infiltrate" the border from the Afghan side in North Waziristan. They were "surrounded" and "effectively engaged" by Pakistani border troops.