According to a statement released by the military, security forces launched a search operation following the shootout in Kurram, a tribal district in mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.

The raid by security forces triggered an intense shootout, resulting in the death of two soldiers and three militants, the statement added. The military, however, didn’t release any information on the nationality and organization of the neutralized militants.

Kurran district has been the stronghold of the TTP, commonly known as the Pakistan Taliban, in the past. There is evidence suggesting militants are regrouping in the region again with the recent uptick in violence.

Militants in the region operate from both sides of the border, forcing Pakistan to fence the 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) boundary known as the Durand Line.

In the last couple of years, the attacks on security forces have dramatically gone up, raising concern in the security establishment.