PESHAWAR, June 30: Afghan troops fired missiles and mortars into the Mohmand tribal agency on Tuesday night, targeting civilian population and a Pakistan Army camp in the region, sources told Dawn on Wednesday.

Three missiles landed in Zor village in the Kudakhel region, 27km west of Ghalani, the headquarters of Mohmand Agency, a Pakistan Army official said. One of the missiles hit the house of one Sher Zaman, injuring him critically, the sources said.

The Pakistan Army returned fire, using heavy weapons. The cross-firing stopped for some time, but the Afghan troops again fired three missiles on Naghar Miagan village, about 25km from Ghalani. However, all the missiles landed in uninhabited places.

The exchange of fire continued intermittently till 11am on Wednesday, the sources said. Talking to Dawn, Col Zahid of the Inter-Services Public Relations confirmed the exchange of heavy gunfire between Afghan troops and Pakistan Army but declined to give details.

Pakistan Army had moved into the Mohmand Agency, along the border with Afghanistan, in June 2003. Later, Afghan troops of Nangarhar Army Division No. 1, headed by Commander Hazrat Ali, also moved into the border areas adjacent to the Mohmand Agency.

Afghanistan accused Pakistan Army of setting up checkpoints inside its territory. Pakistan Army denied the charge and said that the posts had been set up inside the Mohmand Agency.

FOREIGN OFFICE: Foreign Office spokesman on Wednesday said that statement by US Ambassador in Kabul about Taliban's presence in Pakistan, was contrary to the objective realities, adds APP.