Cross-border firing from Afghanistan kills seven Pakistani soldiers

ANGOOR ADDA, Pakistan, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Firing from across the border in Afghanistan Tuesday killed at least seven soldiers in northwestern Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal region.

The BBC reported it was not clear who was behind the attack, which targeted a checkpoint near the village of Angoor Adda.

Since mid-2014, the Pakistani military has been involved in an offensive operation, known as Zarb-e-Azb, aimed at radical Islamist militants in the country's rugged northwestern tribal regions.

South Waziristan is one of seven federally administered tribal agencies along the Afghan border where militants with the Taliban, al-Qaida and affiliates of the Islamic State are known to operate.

Last month, the Pakistani military said it killed 15 militants while conducting airstrikes in the Shawal region of North Waziristan, where a week earlier officials said three "high-profile" militants were killed in the first-recorded drone strike by the Pakistani government.

In early September, a U.S. drone strike also reportedly killed six militants in North Waziristan's Shawal region.

On Aug. 18, the Pakistani military said it killed at least 104 militants during two days of airstrikes in the Shawal and Gharlamai areas of North Waziristan and in the Khyber tribal region.

Three days later, militants killed at least three Pakistani soldiers manning a post in the Ladha area of South Waziristan.