GHALANAI: Eight mortar shells, believed to have been fired from the Afghan side of the border, landed near a Pakistani checkpost in Shamshai area of Moh­mand tribal region on Sunday. No casualty was reported.

Abdullah Shah, Assistant Political Agent of Baizai tehsil, said the target of the attack appeared to be the Ziarat checkpost along the Afghan border.

He said none of the shells hit the checkpost and they all landed in an open area.

Pakistani security forces responded by firing mortar shells towards the Afghan area from where the shells had come.

Residents of Shamshai vacated their houses and moved to safe places when a military operation was launched in the area four years ago.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2016