Three martyred in cross-border shelling

Army destroys enemy posts after Bajaur incident

ISLAMABAD:

Three civilians, including two children, were martyred and three others injured on Wednesday when Afghan Taliban forces carried out unprovoked shelling on locals in a border area of K-P's Bajaur district, according to state media.

The incident marks a renewed episode of cross-border aggression after a gap of over a month, following Pakistan's Operation Ghazab Lil Haq launched in response to earlier unprovoked hostility from the Afghan side.

In a post on X, state broadcaster PTV News said, quoting security sources, that "Indian-backed Afghan Taliban unprovoked aggression on civilian population in the border village of Malak Shahin in Kat Kot area of Bajaur" martyred a woman and two children from the same house, while three were seriously injured, who were subsequently taken to the hospital for treatment.

"Afghan Taliban have been trying to infiltrate a formation of the khawarij mischief-makers into Pakistan for the past few days. Due to the timely action by the Pakistan Army, the attempt to infiltrate the khawarij mischief-makers was foiled. Frustrated by this failure, the Afghan Taliban targeted Pakistan's civilian population in Kat Kot today," the statement said.

It added that Pakistan Army responded immediately and destroyed the gun position firing from across the border. It further said that Pakistani forces were also targeting Afghan Taliban posts along the Bajaur border, inflicting heavy losses and resulting in heavy casualties for the Afghan Taliban.

"Residents of Bajaur have strongly condemned this cowardly act and expressed complete solidarity with the security forces. Security forces remain vigilant and determined at all times to protect the lives and property of the people."