PESHAWAR: At least five suspected militants were killed and several others injured as security forces repulsed a militant attack carried out in Kurram tribal region from across the border in Afghanistan on Saturday, security sources said.

Security sources said Afghanistan-based militants attacked on a Pakistani security checkpost in Kurram Agency.

The militants who were armed with sophisticated weapons opened fire on the checkpost, they said. The security forces responded to the attack with retaliatory firing killing at least two attackers and injuring five.

Kurram is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border.

The region was claimed by the military to have been cleared of insurgents during an operation a couple of years ago, however, militants still carry out sectarian attacks and also target security forces occasionally.

The tribal agency is adjacent to North Waziristan region where the operation Zarb-i-Azb is in progress against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other insurgent groups.