ISLAMABAD: At least three civilians were injured in a quadcopter attack in Bajaur on Friday, as Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the Afghan Taliban authorities had targeted civilians in the latest cross-border incident.
According to Tarar, the attack took place while the civilians were playing cricket in the northwestern district near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
“The inhuman violent spate of deliberate targeting of innocent civilians by Afghan Taliban regime… is unacceptable, insidious and reflective of their barbaric nature towards human life,” Tarar said in a statement posted on X.
The latest incident comes a day after Pakistani officials reported that nine civilians, including women and children, were killed and 12 others injured in separate cross-border attacks in the same region.
The attack adds to growing tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where Pakistan has carried out Operation Ghazab lil Haq in response to sustained terrorist activity and cross-border attacks.
Pakistani officials say the operation, now in its 10th week, targets terrorist camps, logistics hubs and infrastructure used to support attacks inside Pakistan.
Tarar said the latest civilian targeting followed recent battlefield setbacks for terrorist groups and their support networks.
He said the targeting of civilians showed an unwillingness to confront Pakistan’s armed forces directly.
“Their targeting of civilians… speaks volumes,” Tarar said.
Tarar said Pakistan’s operations remain focused exclusively on terrorist infrastructure and are based on verified intelligence.
“Pakistan targets only terrorist infrastructure and information has been always promptly and transparently shared with the public,” he said.
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