Pakistan says Afghan firing kills one in border district

ISLAMABAD (REUTERS) -- One person was killed and five injured after Afghan Taliban fired at civilian houses and a market in Pakistan’s Waziristan region, near the countries’ border, a Pakistani regional official said on Wednesday.

Pakistani forces are “responding effectively and heavily” to the “unprovoked” firing on Tuesday, the Deputy Commissioner of South Waziristan Lower said on X.

The Afghan Taliban claimed Pakistan had carried out four drone attacks on the district commissioner’s office and nearby security facilities in Paktika province on Tuesday.

Several Pakistani soldiers were killed or wounded in retaliatory action on a nearby Pakistani military base by Afghan forces, Afghan defence ministry spokesperson Sedeequllah Nasrat claimed in a statement.

Reuters could not verify the claims.

The violence comes days after the Afghan Taliban said that problems with Pakistan can be resolved through diplomacy.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have increasingly been at odds over militancy, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring militants who stage cross-border attacks.

The Taliban government denies the charge and says militancy is Pakistan’s internal problem.