One person was killed and five others were injured after Afghan Taliban forces opened fire on civilian houses and a market in Pakistan’s Waziristan region near the border. A Pakistani regional official confirmed the casualties on Wednesday. The incident has raised fresh concerns about security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as tensions continue between the two countries.
The Deputy Commissioner of Lower South Waziristan said Pakistani forces were responding effectively and heavily to what he described as unprovoked firing. In a statement posted on X, the official said the firing took place on Tuesday. The reported Afghan firing in Waziristan targeted civilian areas, including residential properties and a local market, according to the Pakistani official.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban presented a different account of the border clashes. They claimed Pakistan had carried out four drone attacks on the district commissioner’s office and nearby security facilities in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Tuesday. The claim came amid reports of cross-border exchanges between the two sides.
Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry spokesperson, Sedeequllah Nasrat, also claimed that Afghan forces retaliated against a nearby Pakistani military base. He said several Pakistani soldiers were killed or wounded during the action. However, Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims made by either side, leaving key details of the reported clashes unconfirmed.
The latest violence comes days after the Afghan Taliban said disputes with Pakistan could be resolved through diplomatic efforts. The new incident has added pressure to efforts aimed at reducing tensions and preventing further cross-border violence. Neither side’s claims about the reported military actions have been independently confirmed by Reuters.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have faced growing tensions over militancy and cross-border attacks. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of allowing militants to operate from Afghan territory and launch attacks inside Pakistan. Pakistani authorities have raised security concerns about militant activity near the shared border.
The Taliban government rejects Pakistan’s allegations and maintains that militancy is an internal problem for Pakistan to address. The competing positions have complicated relations between the neighbouring countries. The latest Afghan firing in Waziristan highlights continuing security challenges along the border, while the possibility of a diplomatic solution remains important to preventing further escalation.
