KOHAT, Nov 16: US warplanes on Thursday dropped bombs on border towns in the Kurram Agency, 260km from here, causing damage to various buildings and houses, official sources told Dawn on Friday.

It was the first incident of bombardment on Pakistani territory since the start of air strikes against Afghanistan. Earlier, the US planes had twice hit the targets along the border on no-man’s land.

The assistant political agent of lower Kurram Agency, Wakil Khan, told this correspondent by telephone that two warplanes had dropped four bombs on Shahdal and Spina Shaga towns in the upper parts of the tribal territory and more inside Afghanistan in the Gurway Tangi.

Mnay buildings and houses were damaged in the bombing, he said, adding the window-panes of nearby official buildings were also smashed. No loss of human life was reported, he said.

He said the Kurram Agency, predominantly a pro-Northern Alliance area, had been declared an “extremely sensitive” area after the Taliban’s retreat.

The official said that he had instructions not to allow anybody, including foreign journalists, from across the border. However, he added, there were no restrictions on the refugees who wanted to go back to their homeland.

During the past many days, he pointed out, nearly 300 refugees had gone back to Afghanistan and more were being encouraged by the Afghan Commissionerate for Refugees and the local authorities to follow suit.

The official said that security had been beefed up along the border and efforts were being made to guard the unmanned frontiers or far-flung porous areas.