Web Desk: Cross-border gunfire from Afghanistan killed a child and wounded four others in Pakistan’s tribal district of North Waziristan on Sunday, local sources said, marking the third such attack on civilians in the region following earlier incidents in South Waziristan.
The shooting occurred on March 8 in the border village of Gulkhel, where unidentified gunmen described by local officials as Afghan Taliban fighters opened fire on unarmed residents without provocation.
The incident left one child dead while four other children sustained injuries, prompting an emergency response from authorities. Rescue teams rushed the wounded to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Miran Shah, where doctors are currently providing treatment.
Officials at the hospital said the injured children were receiving medical care and remained under observation.
Soon after the attack, Pakistani security forces arrived at the site and cordoned off the area. Troops launched a search operation in the surrounding region to secure the border village and investigate the circumstances of the firing.
Local residents said the sudden gunfire triggered panic among families living near the frontier.
The incident comes amid rising tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where sporadic cross-border firing has been reported in recent weeks.
Security officials say intensified operations by Pakistani forces against militants along the frontier have pushed hostile elements back toward the Afghan side of the border.
Authorities believe the attacks on civilian populations may be aimed at spreading fear in border communities following those operations.
Earlier incidents in South Waziristan had also targeted civilians, raising concerns about the safety of residents living near the volatile frontier.
Investigation into the latest attack remains underway.
