At least four teenagers lost their lives and two others were injured when a mortar shell exploded in a field in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, police officials confirmed.
Bajaur District Police Officer (DPO) Waqas Rafiq told Dawn.com that the victims were immediately taken to Khar District Headquarters Hospital.
“Initial reports suggest a mortar shell detonated in the field, killing the young men,” he said. The deceased were between 13 and 18 years old.
Political Condemnation and Civilian Concerns
Nisar Baaz Khan, a member of the provincial assembly (MPA) from Bajaur, strongly condemned the incident in a social media post. He claimed that, according to local residents, a drone or quadcopter struck the village, killing innocent civilians.
“What crime had these innocent, flower-like children committed? What purpose is being served by staining the earth with their blood?” he asked.
Khan criticized state institutions and the provincial government, questioning ongoing operations in the Mamond tehsil—an area that authorities have previously declared cleared of militants.
“If these areas are secure, why are drone strikes being carried out here?” he added. “Are the lives of our children so cheap that they can be taken so easily?”
He also accused authorities of a prolonged pattern of violence in the region:
“For decades, our people have been killed in the name of counter-terrorism. Their homes were destroyed. Now, once again, innocent lives are being targeted.”
This tragedy follows a similar incident last week in KP’s Tirah region, where an airstrike by security forces reportedly destroyed four homes and killed several civilians, including children.
In response, a statement from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat said CM Ali Amin Gandapur met with a delegation from the affected district. PTI MNA Iqbal Afridi, the KP chief secretary, additional chief secretary (home), Peshawar commissioner, and other officials also attended the meeting, which reviewed the region’s law and order situation.
“The martyrdom of civilians in this incident is deeply regrettable and condemnable,” CM Gandapur said. “The killing of civilians during anti-terror operations is unacceptable.”
Human Rights Groups Call for Investigation
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed deep concern over reports of civilian deaths due to alleged aerial bombings in Tirah. The organization called for an immediate and impartial investigation.
“The authorities must conduct a thorough and independent inquiry into the incident and hold those responsible to account,” the HRCP stated.