The Pakistani army on Thursday said four of its soldiers were killed in a shootout with militants near the north-western border with Afghanistan.
It said five Islamic terrorists were also killed.
The shooting took place in the tribal region of South Waziristan, which lies next to the Afghan border – an area that has long been a safe haven for militants operating on both sides of the border.
Islamabad says terrorists use Afghan soil to train and plan attacks in Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies, saying terrorism has been a domestic problem for the South Asian nation.
A group of terrorists called Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has been attacking Pakistan and its forces for years in a bid to overthrow the government and install its own harsh Islamic system in its place.
It has stepped up attacks since it canceled a ceasefire with the government last year, accusing it of violating the ceasefire.