Afghan Border Firing Injures Three Civilians in South Waziristan

Three civilians, including two women, were injured in South Waziristan after Afghan forces allegedly targeted a civilian area near the border, prompting Pakistani security forces to respond and destroy the firing positions involved. The incident took place on Sunday in the Zalulkhel area near Angoor Adda, a sensitive border zone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal belt.

According to security sources, the injured were identified as Rahimullah, his wife and the wife of Zainullah. They were reportedly wounded when an artillery shell fired from the Afghan side struck the area, creating fear among residents and raising fresh concerns over the safety of border communities already exposed to militant activity and cross-border tension.

The injured civilians were moved to the district headquarters hospital in Wana for medical treatment. Officials said the Pakistani response came after Afghan Taliban positions allegedly involved in the firing were located and targeted, with security forces destroying gun posts from where the attack had been launched.

Security sources claimed that Afghan Taliban elements had been attempting to support the movement of militants associated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan into Pakistan. They said repeated infiltration attempts had been blocked by Pakistani forces, after which civilians in Angoor Adda were allegedly targeted in frustration.

Local residents strongly condemned the firing and urged Pakistani forces to respond to what they described as an unprovoked attack on civilians. The incident has intensified anger in the area because families living near the border often bear the direct cost of military tension, militant movement and artillery exchanges.

The latest episode comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s continuing concerns over militant sanctuaries and cross-border facilitation from Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul’s rulers to prevent Afghan soil from being used by groups involved in attacks inside Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Pakistan has previously raised the issue through diplomatic channels, including formal demarches over attacks linked to groups operating from Afghan territory. The Foreign Office has accused the Afghan authorities of failing to act decisively against organisations that threaten Pakistani security forces and civilians along the border.

South Waziristan has remained one of the most sensitive districts in Pakistan’s counterterrorism landscape. Years of militancy, displacement, military operations and reconstruction have left local communities deeply vulnerable whenever cross-border attacks or infiltration attempts occur.

The incident’s wider impact is significant for Pakistan’s internal security and regional policy. Civilian injuries caused by cross-border shelling can increase public pressure on the government and military to adopt a tougher posture, while also complicating already strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

Authorities are expected to monitor the border situation closely in the coming days and maintain heightened vigilance in vulnerable areas. The immediate priority will be the treatment of the injured civilians, protection of nearby settlements and prevention of further militant movement across the border.