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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday dismissed allegations by the Afghan Taliban that its forces targeted civilians in Afghanistan&rsquo;s Kunar province, linking the claim to cross-border fire that killed civilians in Pakistan&#39;s Bajaur District. The ministry&rsquo;s Fact Checker account said the claim by the Taliban&#39;s Hamdullah Fitrat followed an incident in Bajaur in which nine women and children were killed, prompting local condemnation. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 998px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2051311343819772226&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=aacf9820f3d834bc3c8b3361a678ef714ca4d4a7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> It cited evidence released by the Bajaur District Administration, describing it as showing reckless actions by the Afghan side after repeated failed infiltration attempts by militants. It said Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces repelled those attempts on the ground. The post disputed images circulated with the Afghan claim, saying the damage shown is inconsistent with artillery strikes. It pointed to intact roofs and limited structural breakage as evidence of manual or staged damage. It said the timing of the allegation came after Pakistan released &ldquo;irrefutable evidence&rdquo; and after public criticism intensified against the Afghan side.

This photograph taken on April 13, 2026 shows closed shops in the Barikot village of Naray district, Kunar province. (AFP)

Security

Links claim to cross-border firing from Afghan territory into the Bajaur district that killed civilians.

 Pakistan rejects Afghan Taliban claims of targeting civilians and infrastructure in Kunar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces killed four terrorists, including commander Amjad alias Mazahim, a high-value target, during an infiltration attempt from Afghanistan into Bajaur district, according to a press release issued by the military&#39;s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. On the night of Oct. 29-30, the movement of a group of &quot;khwarij&quot; (terrorists), who were trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces in Bajaur district. According to the press statement, Pakistani troops &quot;effectively engaged and thwarted terrorists&rsquo; attempt to infiltrate.&rdquo; As a result, four terrorists, including the terrorist leader, a high-value target, and terrorist Amjad alias Mazahim, were killed, the statement said. &lsquo;Highly wanted&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Killed terrorist Commander Amjad, deputy/second to terrorist Noor Wali and head of Rehbari Shura of Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij, was highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies and government had fixed head money of rupees five million on him, as he remained actively involved in perpetuating numerous terrorist activities inside Pakistan while residing in Afghanistan,&rdquo; the press release said. It added: &ldquo;...the leadership of Fitna al Khawarij while residing in Afghanistan is orchestrating infiltration attempts into Pakistan - primarily to project an impression of domestic presence and to raise the diminishing morale of their terrorists in Bajaur and Mohmand because of effective operations of security forces.&rdquo; The ISPR press release said, &ldquo;It is once again reiterated that the Interim Afghan Government must take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by terrorist proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan.&rdquo; &lsquo;Safe haven&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;It also validates our stance that Afghan soil is continuously being used as a safe haven by terrorists belonging to Fitna al Khwarij against Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;The security forces of Pakistan remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation&rsquo;s frontiers, the statement said. Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists in the area as a relentless counter terrorism campaign under the vision &ldquo;Azm e Istehkam&rdquo;, as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan, by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country, the ISPR said.

As a result of skillful engagement, four terrorists including terrorist leader, Amjad alias Mazahim were killed; sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists found in the area.

Articles tagged with "Bajaur District"

Pakistan rejects Afghan Taliban claims of targeting civilians and infrastructure in Kunar

Four terrorists including high-value commander killed on Pak-Afghan border: ISPR

Pakistan rejects Afghan Taliban claims of targeting civilians and infrastructure in Kunar