SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: An Afghan commander of the Shamshad group was killed in an exchange of fire between two militant factions in Lower South Waziristan, while a police station in the Birmal tehsil came under a quadcopter attack by unidentified armed individuals late Friday night, police officials said on Saturday.

District Police Officer Shah Hassan and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Asghar Ali Shah confirmed the incidents during separate telephone conversations with Dawn.

They said no police personnel were injured in the quad copter attack on the Raghzai police station in Birmal. All personnel at the police station remained safe, the officials said.

Further details about the nature of the attack, the extent of any damage and the identity of those responsible were not immediately available.

In a separate incident, an armed confrontation took place between militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Zarmilan group and the Shamshad group in the Khankot area of Toi Khullah tehsil, resulting in the death of Afghan commander Barbad Afghani, DSP Asghar Ali Shah said.

According to the police official, around 16 members of the Shamshad group had divided into two groups late at night. One group was present in Sootian Kalay, while the other was stationed in Panikhel Killay.

The members of the group who had gone to Sootian Killay were returning to Panikhel when they came under fire from their own associates who were present there, the official said.

The firing resulted in the death of Barbad Afghani, who was identified as a commander of the Shamshad group.

The circumstances that led to the exchange of fire between the two groups were not immediately known. No further casualties were reported in the incident.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2026