Islamist militants kill six Pakistani soldiers, army says

Six Pakistani soldiers were killed on Tuesday in an exchange of fire with Islamist militants in a northwestern region near the border with Afghanistan, the army said.
It was not clear which group was involved in the exchange of fire, which also killed four militants, and there was no immediate claim of responsibility.
“During an intense exchange of fire, six brave soldiers, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom,” the army said in a statement, adding that the incident took place in the district of North Waziristan.
Waziristan has long served as a safe haven for militants linked both to domestic Islamists who have been fighting against the state and the Afghan Taliban.