Islamabad: A captain of Pakistan Army and a soldier were killed Tuesday in a gun battle with militants during a raid by a security forces contingent on their hideout in Swabi district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the military’s public relations wing.

“During exchange of fire, Capt Junaid and Sepoy [soldier] Amjad embraced shahadat [martyrdom],” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement, amid the ongoing countrywide new operation launched by the army last month to eliminate “residual threat” of terrorism.

The Swabi compound, where the suspects were holed up, was cordoned off and five terrorists were killed in the operation, the statement said.

A day earlier, five soldiers of Pakistan Army were killed in a “terrorist attack” on three Pakistani border posts along the Pakistan-Afghan border area in Mohmand Agency tribal area in the northwest while more than 15 militants were also killed in retaliatory action by the troops, according to ISPR.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking in the National Assembly on Monday, slammed failure of Kabul to take action against terrorists using Afghan soil against Pakistan.

The minister said closing the border was Pakistan’s sovereign right and the government would take every step necessary to defend the country’s interests.

He alleged that India had outsourced the task of carrying out terrorist activities in Pakistan to Afghanistan.

The minister said Afghanistan was “resisting” the efforts to implement a proper border management system and underlined the need for cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the war against terrorism.

Meanwhile, India on Tuesday refuted Pakistan’s allegation that New Delhi and Kabul have joined hands to create unrest in that country.

Reacting to the allegation by Pakistan’s defence minister that neighbouring countries, India and Afghanistan, were creating unrest in Pakistan, India’s Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that both New Delhi and Kabul believe in peace.

“Both India and Afghanistan believe in peace but are victims of terrorism emanating from Pakistan,” the Minister of State for Home said in a tweet.

Rijiju also denied that India indulges in unprovoked firing at the Line of Control.

“Indian Forces never indulge in unprovoked firing,” he added.