LOWER DIR / SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Security forces on Sunday carried out shelling with gunship helicopters on suspected terrorist hideouts in Atrafu Dara area of upper Maidan in Lower Dir, local residents said.

They said three gunship helicopters took part in the action and heavily shelled the Sar Sawnai, Khandak and Dargai areas. The shelling, which lasted for about two hours, created fear and panic among the locals. However, no casualties were reported.

Officials said the operation was launched following reports of increased terrorist presence and movement in the area. The extent of damage to the terrorists could not be confirmed as no details were shared with the media till filing of this report.

People of Maidan told Dawn that terrorists had recently been spotted in different areas, including Ashrogai and Awarai, and their activities were on the rise. They said a day earlier, terrorists had set up a checkpoint on the road in Awarai and searched passing vehicles and motorists.

It may be recalled that in 2008, terrorists had taken control of most parts of Maidan and set up parallel courts there. Following a successful military operation in April 2009, most of the insurgents had fled to Afghanistan and taken shelter in Kunr.

The 2009 operation had displaced nearly 300,000 locals, who lived either in camps or with relatives in other parts of the province.

Meanwhile, a rocket was fired on the security forces camp in Wana from Dabkot and Doag sides in Lower South Waziristan on Saturday.

Police sources confirmed the rocket landed outside the camp’s boundary wall, causing no casualties.

Police officials said the attackers targeted the heavily guarded Wana forces camp, which houses offices and residential quarters of military, Frontier Corps, civil administration, police and other state departments. The camp also accommodates the offices of the commandant South Waziristan Scouts, deputy commissioner, district police officer and intelligence agencies. This was the third such rocket attack in recent months from the same area, raising alarm among local residents.

According to reports, over the past year, the security situation in Lower and Upper South Waziristan and North Waziristan has sharply deteriorated. Incidents of bomb blasts, targeted killing, kidnapping for ransom, rocket attacks, and assaults on police and security checkposts have significantly increased.

These recurring violent incidents have severely affected the lives of local communities, disrupted business activities, and created a climate of fear.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2025