MIRANSHAH: A young child was killed and four others were injured on Sunday evening after a mortar shell fired from across the Afghan border struck a residential area in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district, local officials and police sources said.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. in the Ghulam Khan border region, where heavy firing reportedly broke out between forces positioned on both sides of the Pakistan–Afghanistan border.
During the exchange, a mortar shell fired from Khost Province in Afghanistan landed in the nearby village of Gul Lak Khel, hitting a civilian home.
According to authorities, the explosion killed a minor child at the scene and left four other children injured, triggering panic among residents in the area.
Local residents quickly transported the injured children to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Miranshah, where medical teams provided emergency treatment. Hospital sources said several of the injured were in serious condition, prompting doctors to place the emergency department on high alert.
Following the incident, Tehsildar Miranshah Ghani Wazir and Tehsildar Ghulam Khan Aziz Wazir visited the hospital’s emergency ward on the instructions of North Waziristan Deputy Commissioner Yousaf Karim. Officials directed medical staff to ensure the injured children received all necessary medical care.
Authorities confirmed the victims were between 6 and 12 years old, highlighting the devastating impact of the blast on local families living near the volatile border region.
The children involved in the incident were identified as Noor Wali Jan, son of Mir Jehani (2); Iman, son of Badshah Jan (12); Fateh-ur-Raba Wala Raza Khan (12); Shafiullah, son of Mister Khan (10); and Azimullah, son of Nasratullah (10), who was killed in the explosion.
The Ghulam Khan border crossing, located in North Waziristan, is a key route for trade and travel between Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the crossing is currently closed due to ongoing security concerns, and tensions occasionally escalate into cross-border exchanges of fire.
Local authorities said the situation in the area remains under close monitoring while investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the shelling.
