BAJAUR: At least three Pakistani civilians, including a woman and two children from the same household, were martyred on Wednesday following unprovoked shelling by Afghan Taliban forces targeting the Malik Shaheen village in the Katkot border area of Bajaur.
Security sources confirmed that the heavy bombardment also left three others critically wounded, all of whom have been rushed to nearby medical facilities for emergency treatment.
This latest act of aggression reportedly follows a series of failed attempts by the Afghan Taliban to facilitate the infiltration of a formation of “Fitna al-Khawarij” militants into Pakistani territory over the past several days. According to security officials, these infiltration bids were successfully thwarted by the timely and decisive intervention of the Pakistan Army. Authorities believe the direct targeting of the civilian population in Katkot was a desperate retaliatory move by the Afghan Taliban, fueled by their inability to breach the border defences.
In an immediate and forceful response, the Pakistan Army engaged and destroyed the specific gun positions within Afghanistan that were used to target the village. Military operations are currently ongoing, with all Afghan Taliban posts adjacent to the Bajaur sector being targeted. Reports indicate that the Afghan Taliban have suffered significant casualties and infrastructure damage as a result of this retaliatory fire.
Residents of Bajaur have come out in strong condemnation of the shelling, labelling it a “cowardly act” against innocent families. The community has expressed unwavering solidarity with the Pakistan security forces as they work to secure the frontier. Security sources emphasised that the deliberate targeting of non-combatants provides clear evidence of the nefarious intentions and growing desperation of the forces across the border. The Pakistan Army remains on high alert, reiterating its determination to protect the lives and property of its citizens while maintaining regional peace against external aggression.
