Security forces in Bajaur district rushed to the scene after mortar shells slammed into a house in Kitkot village on Wednesday night. Two children and a woman died on the spot. Three others suffered serious injuries. Local residents pulled the wounded from the rubble as sirens echoed through the hills.
Security Forces Destroy Afghan Taliban Gun Positions in Swift Retaliation
Sources inside the security establishment point the finger squarely at the Afghan Taliban. They say the group launched the unprovoked attack. This came after Pakistani troops foiled several attempts to push banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan fighters across the border in recent days. Moreover, the army struck back immediately. Troops destroyed the exact gun position that fired the shells. They also pounded every nearby Afghan Taliban post. Reports from the other side speak of heavy casualties during the exchange.
Pakistan keeps pressing ahead with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. It is the major border offensive it launched on February 26 after a wave of cross-border attacks. Islamabad has repeatedly asked Kabul to shut down terrorist hideouts on Afghan soil. Yet officials say those appeals keep falling on deaf ears. Tensions rose sharply after the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. The two neighbours agreed only on April 8 during China-hosted talks to avoid any further escalation.
Tensions Persist as Cross-Border Violence Continues
Still, incidents like this one keep testing that fragile understanding. Families in Bajaur now live in fear while soldiers stay on high alert along the entire stretch. The latest strike adds fresh urgency to Pakistan’s call for Kabul to take real, visible action against groups using Afghan territory to attack Pakistan.
