- Mortar exploded in field in Mamond claims lives of boys aged 13–18: Police
- ANP’s MPA Nisar Baaz Khan blames quadcopter strike, questions state’s narrative
- HRCP demands action, seeking impartial probe, accountability for deaths
BAJAUR: At least four teenagers were killed and two other people sustained injuries when a mortar shell exploded in a field in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, police said.
Bajaur District Police Officer (DPO) Waqas Rafiq confirmed the incident, stating that the victims were immediately shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar.
“Initial reports suggest that a mortar shell exploded in the field, killing the young men,” he said, adding that the deceased were between 13 and 18 years old.
‘Growing Local Outrage’
The incident triggered shock and anger in the area, as Nisar Baaz Khan, a member of the provincial assembly (MPA) from Bajaur, condemned the incident in a statement on social media. Citing accounts from local residents, he alleged that a quadcopter strike had targeted the village.
آج ماموندو لغڑئی میں ایک نہایت افسوسناک، دل دہلا دینے والا اور ناقابلِ برداشت سانحہ پیش آیا ہے۔ علاقے کے مکینوں نے بتایا کہ کواڈ کاپٹر کے ذریعے ڈرون حملہ کر کے چار معصوم بچے شہید جبکہ تین شدید زخمی کر دیے گئے۔ یہ معصوم پھول جیسے بچے کس جرم کے مرتکب تھے؟ ان کے خون سے زمین کو رنگین… pic.twitter.com/NeuwBgJghw
— Awami National Party (@ANPMarkaz) September 27, 2025
“What crime had these innocent flower-like children committed? What purpose is being served by staining the earth with their innocent blood?” the lawmaker asked, demanding clarity from the authorities.
He further said: “The state institutions and provincial government have repeatedly claimed that various areas of Mamond tehsil have been cleared. If that is true, then on what grounds are drone strikes being conducted in these villages and settlements?”
Khan questioned why counterterrorism operations were continuing in Bajaur despite official claims that there were no militants present. “Are the lives of our children so cheap that they can be taken so easily? For decades, our people have been killed in the name of counterterrorism; their homes were destroyed — and now innocent lives are being targeted once again,” he lamented.
Growing concerns after Tirah strike
The tragedy in Bajaur follows last week’s airstrike in Tirah valley of Khyber district, where four houses were destroyed, leaving several civilians, including children, dead. That incident also stirred widespread outrage and renewed debate over the human cost of counterterrorism operations in the province.
A statement from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Secretariat noted that CM Ali Amin Gandapur had met a delegation from Bajaur following the Tirah episode. The meeting was attended by PTI MNA Iqbal Afridi, the KP chief secretary, additional chief secretary (home), commissioner Peshawar, and other senior officials to review the law-and-order situation in the “context of the unfortunate incident”.
“The martyrdom of civilians in the incident is regrettable and condemnable. Martyrdom of civilians as a result of operations against terrorists is unacceptable,” the statement quoted the CM as saying.
HRCP demands impartial inquiry
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed deep concern over recurring civilian casualties in the province. Referring to the Tirah incident, it said it was “deeply shocked” to hear reports of civilian deaths caused by alleged aerial bombings.
The commission demanded “an immediate and impartial inquiry into the incident and that those responsible be held accountable”.
With Bajaur now reeling from the latest tragedy, residents and rights groups alike are pressing the authorities to explain the circumstances of the blast, amid growing calls to safeguard civilian lives in ongoing security operations.
