PESHAWAR: A daylong clash between militants from Afghanistan who crossed the border and attacked a Pakistani checkpoint left 23 troops and 35 insurgents dead, police said Thursday, underscoring the challenges facing Pakistan as it tries to stamp out insurgents in its northwest.

The fighting came as a top Pakistani general said the military plans to stage an operation against militants in a tribal region that juts deep inside Afghanistan, but denied media reports of an upcoming offensive in North Waziristan, the tribal area where the US has been pushing for action.

Pakistan’s northwest border with Afghanistan has for years been a stomping ground for extremists, some of whom focus on attacks against Western forces across the border, and others who prefer to attack the Pakistani state because of its ties to the United States.

Pakistan has taken action against the latter groups but they’ve retained the ability to strike back, partly because the border is so porous and insurgents under attack can easily cross from side to side. Readmore