• Bajaur admin says nine killed, dozen wounded by Afghan fire over two months
• Forces respond to shelling in Mohmand, continue surveillance

BAJAUR / MOHMAND: At least 13 terrorists were killed after Pakistani troops foiled two separate infiltration attempts along the Pak-Afghan border, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

In Mohmand District, ISPR said that security forces picked up the movement of a group of terrorists trying to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. “Troops effectively engaged this group,” the sta­te­ment said, adding that eight me­­mbers of the Indian-sponsored Fit­na al Khwarij — the term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-i-Tali­ban Pakistan (TTP) — were killed.

In another engagement, troops effectively foiled another infiltration attempt in North Waziristan district, ISPR said, adding that five terrorists were killed after an intense exchange of fire.

“These engagements once again substantiate Pakistan’s repeated stance regarding abject failure of Afghan Taliban Regime to ensure effective border management on their side,” the statement said, calling on the Afghan Taliban regime to fulfil its obligations and deny terrorists the use of Afghan soil to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

Bajaur casualties

Separately, the Bajaur district administration said on Thursday that unprovoked cross-border firing from Afghanistan claimed the lives of least nine civilians, and left a dozen others wounded over the past couple of months.

According to a statement issued by Bajaur Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan, the nine casualties occurred in six separate cross-border attacks in different border areas of the Mamond and Salarzai tehsils.

The unprovoked attacks by Afg­han forces were reported in civilian areas of Bara Laghari and Lara Laghari in Mamond tehsil, and in Taroopa Shah of Salarzai tehsil.

It noted that most of the deceased and injured were women and children, adding that eight houses belonging to local residents were also destroyed in the attacks.

The statement further said that the district administration had restored the damaged houses, adding that compensation for the victims and affected households would be provided soon.

It added that the cross-border attacks had caused grave concern among local residents, who staged a large demonstration against the incidents on April 16.

Mohmand response

Meanwhile, security forces carried out a retaliatory response along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Mohmand district, a day after two mortar shells fired from the Afghan side landed near a security post in Baizai tehsil, official sources said.

According to officials, mortar shells had earlier landed near the Suran Dara Shonkari Top post in the border area.

Following the shelling, Pakistani security forces responded, targeting multiple locations across the frontier in what officials described as an effective and proportionate response.

In the meantime, intermittent helicopter flights continued over the border areas as part of enhanced surveillance measures.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2026