Afghan forces target civilian populations in six separate incidents, destroy eight residential houses
Taliban security personnel stand guard near the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Nangarhar province on February 27, 2026. Pakistan bombed major cities in Afghanistan including the capital Kabul on February 27. PHOTO: AFP
At least nine civilians were killed and 12 others were injured in unprovoked cross-border firing and shelling by Afghan forces over the past two months in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, local authorities confirmed on Thursday.
According to official figures released by Bajaur Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan, the majority of the victims were women and children. The attacks occurred in the Mamond and Salarzai areas of the district during March and April.
A press release by the district administration detailed six separate incidents in which Afghan forces deliberately targeted civilian populations in the Laghari Mamond and Taripa Shah Salarzai areas. The cross-border aggression also destroyed eight residential houses.
ڈپٹی کمشنر باجوڑ نے افغان طالبان کی جانب سے باجوڑ کی سول آبادی پے فائرنگ میں شہید اور زخمی ہونے والوں کے ناموں کی فہرست جاری کر دی۔ تفصیلات کے مطابق، مارچ اور اپریل 2026 کے دوران افغانستان کی جانب سے باجوڑ کے مختلف سرحدی علاقوں، بالخصوص ماموند اور سلارزئی میں مارٹر گولے فائر کیے… pic.twitter.com/f2TcZcKFxA
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) April 30, 2026
Read: Eight civilians injured in cross-border shelling in South Waziristan: DC
In response, the Bajaur district administration and security forces launched timely and effective actions. Affected families were provided immediate relief, and the injured were given emergency medical aid before being transferred to Peshawar for advanced treatment.
Authorities also initiated steps for the reconstruction of damaged homes, with compensation for destroyed properties, the injured, and the families of the martyrs to be awarded soon.
Residents expressed grief and anger over the Afghan forces’ aggression. On April 16, a strong protest was staged by tribal elders, youth, and people from all schools of thought, condemning the targeting of innocent civilians and demanding an immediate halt to what they called irresponsible actions by Afghan forces.
The district administration and security forces continue to monitor the situation closely and reiterated their commitment to taking all possible measures to protect the lives and property of the people.
The statement was issued hours after the Lower South Waziristan deputy commissioner said that eight civilians, including women and children, were seriously injured after cross-border firing and shelling struck the Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan on April 26 and 29.
The official statement said the shelling caused significant damage to civilian property, with several houses destroyed in the affected area.
On Tuesday, security forces carried out retaliatory strikes at key sites, including the Ariana Complex, Dabgai check post, police headquarters, and Zakarkhel post, which were destroyed.
The incidents marked a renewed episode of cross-border aggression after a gap of over a month, following Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, which was launched in response to earlier unprovoked hostility from the Afghan side.
Operation Ghazab Lil Haq was launched around the end of February following renewed clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, after Afghan Taliban forces fired on multiple locations, prompting swift military retaliation by Pakistan.
The neighbouring countries have been engaged in escalating hostilities along the frontier since then. The clashes intensified after Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to Pakistani air strikes targeting terrorist positions and abated during a temporary ceasefire on the occasion of Eidul Fitr.
Also Read: Five injured in Afghan cross-border shelling
The escalation in tensions between the two countries followed a series of tit-for-tat actions over the past year.
Pakistan earlier carried out air strikes targeting camps of the TTP and Islamic State Khorasan Province inside Afghanistan after a wave of attacks, including a suicide bombing in Islamabad.
Islamabad has long maintained that TTP leaders operate from Afghan territory, an allegation that Kabul has repeatedly denied.
Tensions also surged after a series of explosions in Kabul on October 9 last year. Taliban forces subsequently targeted areas along Pakistan’s border, prompting Islamabad to respond with cross-border shelling.
The exchanges caused casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides and led to the suspension of trade after border crossings were closed on October 12, 2025.
