Mortar attacks: One killed, three injured in cross-border shelling
Incursion comes amid demands by Pakistan to stop assaults targeting civilians, security personnel.
MIRANSHAH:
A tribesman was killed and three others injured in cross-border shelling in Lataka Macha Madakhel area of Datta Khel tehsil, North Waziristan on Saturday.
This is not the first time that shells fired from Afghanistan have targeted tribesmen, said a senior security official, adding that the region has been volatile since the day the war on terror started.
“The incursions are destabilising peace in these areas,” said the official. He added the deceased tribesman and his injured relatives were cutting trees in the mountains of Lataka when the attack took place.
This was the second incident in North Waziristan in the last 24 hours. Mortar shells were fired in Dandi Kach area of Speen Waam tehsil on Friday, the official said. However, no human casualty was reported because of the area’s sparse population. “Most of the mortar shells hit mountains around three kilometres from the border.”
According to a resident of Madakhel, 15 mortar shells were fired in the morning, after which they rushed to the place and shifted the dead and injured to Agency Headquarters Hospital (AHQ), Miranshah.
An AHQ official identified the injured as Haider Jan, Haji Sardar and Mehmood, while the deceased’s identity was not immediately clear.
On November 7, a woman was killed and a man injured when mortar shells fired by coalition forces from Afghanistan landed on houses in Datta Khel tehsil. A security official said they had lodged protests with the government against incursions in tribal areas.
The Pakistani government has repeatedly asked its Afghan counterpart to stop cross-border shelling and take action against those targeting security forces and civilians. The Afghan government, however, denies any involvement and blames Pakistan for violating border sovereignty.
Separately, two security officials were kidnapped by unidentified militants in Bangi Dar area on Friday morning. Locals said both personnel were having tea at a hotel when armed men in a vehicle surrounded the café and kidnapped them.
According to Bangi Dar residents, both kidnapped officials were taken to Afghanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2012.
A tribesman was killed and three others injured in cross-border shelling in Lataka Macha Madakhel area of Datta Khel tehsil, North Waziristan on Saturday.
This is not the first time that shells fired from Afghanistan have targeted tribesmen, said a senior security official, adding that the region has been volatile since the day the war on terror started.
“The incursions are destabilising peace in these areas,” said the official. He added the deceased tribesman and his injured relatives were cutting trees in the mountains of Lataka when the attack took place.
This was the second incident in North Waziristan in the last 24 hours. Mortar shells were fired in Dandi Kach area of Speen Waam tehsil on Friday, the official said. However, no human casualty was reported because of the area’s sparse population. “Most of the mortar shells hit mountains around three kilometres from the border.”
According to a resident of Madakhel, 15 mortar shells were fired in the morning, after which they rushed to the place and shifted the dead and injured to Agency Headquarters Hospital (AHQ), Miranshah.
An AHQ official identified the injured as Haider Jan, Haji Sardar and Mehmood, while the deceased’s identity was not immediately clear.
On November 7, a woman was killed and a man injured when mortar shells fired by coalition forces from Afghanistan landed on houses in Datta Khel tehsil. A security official said they had lodged protests with the government against incursions in tribal areas.
The Pakistani government has repeatedly asked its Afghan counterpart to stop cross-border shelling and take action against those targeting security forces and civilians. The Afghan government, however, denies any involvement and blames Pakistan for violating border sovereignty.
Separately, two security officials were kidnapped by unidentified militants in Bangi Dar area on Friday morning. Locals said both personnel were having tea at a hotel when armed men in a vehicle surrounded the café and kidnapped them.
According to Bangi Dar residents, both kidnapped officials were taken to Afghanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2012.