Pakistan says it responded to shelling from Afghan posts — Dawn

Pakistani forces responded to shelling of border checkpoints from Afghan posts in the Lower South Waziristan district of Pakistan. This was reported by Dawn, citing a statement by the deputy district commissioner. The official's X account said that firing from the Afghan side continued.

Statement by local authorities

According to the district authorities, Pakistani forces immediately responded to the shelling, targeting several Afghan border posts, mortar positions and defensive points.

The statement also said that representatives of the Afghan Taliban movement allegedly abandoned their positions and retreated after the response by Pakistani forces. According to the authorities of Lower South Waziristan, no reports of casualties on the Pakistani side had been received from border areas.

Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations, which is responsible for armed forces communications, had not commented on the incident as of the time of publication.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Previous clashes

The new exchange of fire occurred after clashes on Friday. At that time, Pakistani state media, citing security sources, reported that Pakistani troops had destroyed several Afghan Taliban posts in response in areas near South Waziristan and Parachinar.

On Tuesday, Afghan forces also opened fire in the border area of Angur Adda. According to the publication, one local resident was killed and five members of one family were injured. Pakistan rejected a statement by Afghanistan's Defense Ministry, which called Pakistan an aggressor, describing it as a “fabrication of lies.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Washington had heard Pakistan's concerns about terrorism that, according to Islamabad, originates from Afghanistan. He added that the United States was ready to play a productive role if such an opportunity arose.