ISLAMABAD: At least four civilians were martyred in artillery fire from across the Afghanistan border in Pakistan’s Bajaur district, while security forces separately killed five terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the northwestern district of Lakki Marwat, officials said Sunday.
Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said Afghan Taliban positions fired mortar and artillery rounds toward a civilian area in the Salarzai region of Bajaur earlier in the day.
“Today on 15th of March 2026, around 1530 hours, the Afghan Taliban regime deliberately targeted the civilian population through artillery and mortar fire from across the border in Tabesta Letai, Salarzai area of Bajaur District,” Tarar said in a statement posted on X.
According to the minister, a house was struck during the attack, killing four civilians and seriously injuring a five-year-old child.
“The four martyrs Sajid, Ayaz, Riaz and Muaz are real brothers,” Tarar said, adding that local residents strongly condemned the incident.
Tarar described the shelling as a serious violation of international law and said Pakistan’s armed forces were responding to the positions responsible.
“A befitting and aggressive response is being given to the Afghan Taliban regime positions and infrastructure responsible for this dastardly act,” he said.
The incident occurred as Pakistan continues Operation Ghazab lil Haq, launched in late February following cross-border attacks that Islamabad says were carried out by terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.
Operation against terrorists in Lakki Marwat
In a separate development, Pakistan’s security forces killed five terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat, according to the military’s media wing.
The Inter-Services Public Relations said the operation was conducted after receiving intelligence reports about the presence of terrorists linked to the group described by authorities as Fitna al-Khawarij.
“Security forces effectively engaged the terrorist hideout, triggering an intense exchange of fire in which five terrorists were killed,” the statement said.
Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the site, the military added, noting that the slain terrorists had been involved in multiple attacks in the region.
The ISPR said a sanitization operation was underway to ensure no other terrorists remained in the area.
“Security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue operations to eliminate terrorism from the country,” the military said.
Rising tensions along the western border
The Bajaur attack and the Lakki Marwat operation come amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in recent weeks.
Pakistani officials say their military campaign is aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure and networks used to launch cross-border attacks against civilians and security forces.
Authorities maintain that the operations are based on verified intelligence and are focused on terrorist hideouts, logistical hubs and support infrastructure used by groups operating from Afghan territory.
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