ISLAMABAD, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has lodged strong protest with Afghanistan over the murder of 23 security personnel by Pakistani Taliban on Afghan side of the border, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Pakistani Taliban from Mohmand tribal region claimed to have killed this week 23 security personnel who had been captured in 2010. This militant group is believed to have hideouts in the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. "Pakistan has conveyed its strong protest and serious concern to the Afghan government on the brutal murder of 23 Frontier Corps personnel inside the Afghan territory," the Foreign Ministry said.

"This protest was conveyed by Mr. Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs to the Afghan Foreign Minister Mr. Zarar Maqbool Osmani today in Male, Maldives where both were attending the SAARC Ministerial meeting," a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The Adviser reminded his Afghan counterpart that in the Trilateral Summit in Ankara recently, it was agreed that both sides would not only prevent the use of their territory against each other but also take action against militants engaged in hostile action.

"The Adviser urged the Afghan government to take prompt action to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of this heinous and inhumane crime," the statement said.

The Afghan foreign minister promised to convey this message of concern to the relevant authorities in Afghanistan and respond shortly, the statement said.