Afghan Taliban Mortar Fire Kills One Civilian in South Waziristan Border Clash

Afghan Taliban forces fired mortars into a Pakistani border district on Tuesday, killing one civilian and wounding five others, according to local government officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The shelling struck homes and shops in the Angoor Adda bazaar in South Waziristan, prompting an immediate and heavy artillery response from Pakistani military forces stationed along the border.

The exchange marks the latest escalation in a long-standing dispute over militant activity, as Pakistan continues to accuse the Afghan Taliban of harboring groups that launch attacks from Afghan soil.

“Pakistan will never tolerate attacks on its people or violations of its sovereignty,” said Faisal Karim Kundi, the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Kundi condemned the incident as unprovoked aggression against civilian homes, while Pakistani officials reported that their retaliatory fire destroyed multiple Afghan Taliban check posts near the border.

The Afghan Taliban government in Kabul has not issued an immediate comment regarding the incident and has consistently denied allowing its territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan.

Samar Haroon Bilour, a provincial information adviser, stated that the attack involved the Afghan regime showing stubbornness by targeting the civilian population in the Angoor Adda area.

The incident sparked widespread anger among local residents, according to provincial government statements released on social media.

While Pakistani officials confirmed they targeted Afghan checkpoints, they stated they could not verify if the retaliatory artillery fire resulted in any casualties on the Afghan side.

Tensions between the two countries have remained high since a major conflict began in October 2025, with sporadic violence continuing despite a temporary truce agreed upon in March.

It remains unclear what specific event triggered the latest exchange of fire, and Pakistani troops remain on high alert along the border to prevent further aggression.