1 killed, 3 hurt due to 'unprovoked firing' along Pak border

A Pakistani soldier was killed and three more were injured by "unprovoked firing" by Afghan troops along the border in South Waziristan tribal region, a Pakistani military spokesperson said today.

Pakistani and Afghan troops on Wednesday traded heavy fire during the clash, TV news channels reported earlier.

Three Afghan troops were killed in the fighting, the channels quoted their sources as saying.

The Pakistani military spokesperson said in a statement that one soldier was killed and three others were injured "due to unprovoked firing" by Afghan National Army troops in Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan Agency.

"Pakistani troops immediately responded with fire," the spokesperson said.

He did not say whether there were any casualties on the Afghan said.

The Afghan troops "also targeted Angoor Adda civil market, which resulted in civilian casualties and destruction of shops," the spokesperson said.

Pakistan had "demanded an immediate flag meeting" between commanders of the two sides.

It was not clear what triggered the clash.

Pakistan has deployed over 140,000 troops along the border with Afghanistan to guard the frontier and prevent cross-border movement of Taliban militants.

There is a huge presence of Afghan and foreign troops on the Afghan side of the border.