A soldier and 16 Taliban militants have been killed after an ambush on a border post in Pakistan’s restive north-western tribal area.

“Up to 200 Taliban militants from across the border attacked a group of Pakistani posts and at least 16 militants were killed in the fierce fighting,” a senior military official said.

The attack took place around midnight (10am AEST) in the Bajaur tribal district bordering Afghanistan.

“One soldier embraced martyrdom and two others were wounded critically,” the official said.

“The militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Bajaur and Swat chapters had regrouped in Ghund village of Afghanistan and launched the attack from there,” the official said.

Another military official confirmed the attack and casualties, which could not be verified independently.

Bajaur is one of seven semi-autonomous tribal regions plagued by insurgency.

Islamabad lodged a protest over the attack with Afghanistan’s deputy ambassador, the Pakistan foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday, and the Pakistani ambassador in Kabul raised the matter with the Afghan foreign ministry.

“To repulse the terrorist attack, Pakistan troops responded with artillery and aviation support. Any allegations about shelling on Afghan civilians inside Afghanistan are incorrect,” the statement said.

Since the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan rose up against the Pakistani state in 2007, more than 6800 people have been killed in bomb and gun attacks around Pakistan, according to an AFP tally.