Pakistani military says supporters of a local, minority Pashtun group attacked a security post in the country's northwest near the Afghan border, wounding five soldiers.

It says three of the attackers were killed and 10 were wounded.

Sunday's statement says the group is led by lawmakers Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar whose followers wanted to pressure authorities to release terror suspects arrested recently in North Waziristan. It said Wazir and eight others were also arrested.

The two lawmakers represent a Pashtun rights group that has denounced what it calls the military's excessive force against tribesmen in military operations in the region.

However, Dawar, one of the lawmakers, claims their convoy was attacked by security forces while traveling to a protest in North Waziristan against arresting innocent people.