Soldiers were moving in vehicles when fired in the Badar area of the mountains in South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan.
Pakistani forces said in a statement that 12 soldiers and 13 militants were killed in the clash “after a severe fire exchange.”
At least four people were injured, security officials said.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility and said it had also captured weapons and drones from soldiers.
Residents said they saw a helicopter in the air for hours after the early morning attack and took the victim to the hospital to find the attacker.
A curfew is usually imposed, and routes are swept before military convoys move into the area, focusing on extremists.
Islamabad has alleged that the Pakistani Taliban has both denied the accusations, supported by the Afghan Taliban regime by India, the source of tensions between Kabul and New Delhi. The group is inspired by the Afghan Taliban.
rhm/