November 28, 2025
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
Two boys – one of them a minor- were killed in a landmine explosion on Friday, in the Bajaur tribal District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The incident occurred in the Jannat Shah village of Khar tehsil, where residents had only recently returned to their homes after a brief displacement caused by military operations against militants. Locals were informed by the administration that the area had been cleared and was safe to return to following “successful targeted operations.”
Unexploded mines still litter villages
However, upon their return, locals found landmines and unexploded ordnance scattered across the area. Sibghat Ullah, 35, a resident of Jannat Shah village, told Voicepk in a phone call that an unexploded bomb was still lying near his home since the day he returned.
“I have informed the local administration many times about its removal, but they didn’t take any action until this unfortunate incident. Now I’ve heard that the bomb disposal squad has finally reached my house to defuse and remove it,” he said in a trembling voice as he returned from offering condolences to the victims’ families.
Describing the incident, Sibghat Ullah said it occurred at dawn on Wednesday when the boys were sitting together on rocks beneath which an unexploded mine was hidden. As they shifted their positions, the device detonated, killing both boys—Usman Khan, 22, and Shamshad, 18—and injuring one other person.
Bajaur Rescue Officer Amjad Khan said the deceased were identified as 18-year-old Shamshad, son of Wisaal Khan, and 22-year-old Usman, son of Niaz Ali. The critically injured person was identified as 25-year-old Qiyam, son of Inayat ur Rehman, whose condition remains critical.
District Police Officer (DPO) Bajaur, Waqas Rafiq, confirmed the incident, stating that police have launched an investigation. He added that the police bomb disposal squad had been defusing shells and explosives daily.
However, a cousin of the deceased boys, standing beside the uncle of Usman Khan in a video circulating on social media, contradicted the police claim. He told local reporters that residents had repeatedly submitted written and verbal complaints to the civil and military administration—including the DPO, Deputy Commissioner, and relevant security officials—urging the removal of landmines to protect children. “They only come to inspect the explosives and stand idle, doing nothing. They keep shifting responsibility among themselves without solving our problem,” he said.
Speaking about the intensity of the explosion, Sibghat Ullah said, “It is extremely dangerous—it leaves nothing recognizable. Apart from parts of the children’s faces, nothing was left. Right now, we want nothing except for the government to clear these landmines from all our villages.”
Residents believe the mines were planted by both the Taliban and security forces over the years, yet neither side is taking responsibility for their removal.
In an audio clip circulating on Facebook, an alleged Taliban affiliate in Bajaur can be heard warning residents not to leave their homes between 8 pm and 8 am, claiming that mines had been planted in the area and that the group would “not be responsible” for any harm caused.
Landmine casualties rising across tribal districts
Bajaur is not the only tribal district suffering casualties from landmines; South Waziristan is also among the most affected. According to police, on Monday, a minor shepherd named Mayodin was killed in a blast in Upper South Waziristan’s Tiarza Tehsil.
Twelve-year-old Mayodin Mehsud was grazing his goats in the hilly Mantoi area when the explosion occurred. The blast was heard from afar, prompting residents to rush to the scene. Local elders have demanded immediate financial assistance for the family. Police have urged authorities to implement a coordinated and effective plan to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Data compiled by activists of the proscribed political movement PTM shows that from 2009 to 2020, at least 140 people were killed or injured in landmine incidents across North and South Waziristan. Although comprehensive official data is lacking, activists and locals say the past five years have seen a sharp spike in such incidents.
In both recent cases, the local administration pledged support to the affected families. The Assistant Commissioner of Bajaur assured elders that “they were our own sons” and that all possible assistance would be provided.