Three killed in Bajaur after mortar shells fired from across Afghan border hit house

BAJAUR: Two children and a woman were killed, and three other people were injured after mortar shells fired from across the Afghan border struck a house in Kitkot village of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Wednesday night, according to security sources.

The shells landed in a residential property in the border area, causing deaths and injuries. They held the Afghan Taliban responsible for the firing and described it as an act of unprovoked aggression.

The Afghan Taliban had been attempting over the past few days to facilitate the infiltration of a formation of Fitna al Khawarij into Pakistan. They said those attempts were thwarted because of timely action by the Pakistan Army.

The sources added that after those efforts were foiled, the Afghan Taliban resorted to targeting civilians on the Pakistani side of the border.

Security sources blame Afghan Taliban

Security sources said the mortar fire originated from a gun position across the border. They said the position from where the shells were fired was destroyed in retaliatory action by the army.

They further said that Afghan Taliban posts near Bajaur were being targeted in the response operation.

Fitna al Khawarij is the term designated by the state for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The incident took place in a sensitive border district that has repeatedly figured in security-related developments because of its proximity to Afghanistan. The latest casualties, as described by security sources, included two children and a woman, while three more people sustained injuries when the shells hit the house in Kitkot village.

The account of the cross-border firing, the allegation regarding attempted infiltration, and the retaliatory action were all provided by security sources.

The sources maintained that the army responded after the shelling and destroyed the firing position used in the attack. They also said all Afghan Taliban posts near Bajaur were being engaged in the retaliation.

The shelling incident on Wednesday night left three people dead and three injured, according to the figures provided by security sources.