December 26, 2025
By Kaleem Ullah
LAHORE
Residents of Mir Ali in North Waziristan say that around 17 civilians, including children, were injured after shells hit residential houses during recent clashes between security forces and militants in the area.
Nisar Ali Khan, a resident of Hassukhel in Mir Ali and the district president of the Awami National Party (ANP), told Voicepk.net that clashes between security forces and militants began on the morning of December 25, during which both sides exchanged “heavy gunfire.”
“In the early morning, an armored vehicle of the security forces came under an IED attack shortly after it began moving from the Hassukhel check post towards the Mir Ali camp. Later, at around 9am, another vehicle was hit by an IED in the Gulshan area of Hassukhel. Following this, heavy gunfire started in the area, forcing us to confine ourselves to our homes,” he said.
Khan said that rockets also hit his house, injuring his daughter, brother, and nephew. He added that the houses of two of his neighbors were also hit, resulting in the burning alive and killing of three cows and a lamb due to bomb explosions, which he claims were phosphorus bombs. He further said that another neighbor’s shop was also set ablaze after being hit.
He added that the clashes continued for several hours. “During this time, we contacted the local administration over phone and the Taliban through social media, requesting them to halt the firing so that the injured could be shifted to hospitals, but all efforts went in vain,” he said.
Later, residents from the nearby village of Musaki came out of their homes in the form of a rally, holding white flags—the symbol of peace—in an attempt to stop the fighting. However, they were also hit by mortar, resulting in injuries to ten people. According to Nisar Ali Khan, the clashes have spread intense fear across the area due to its dense population. “There is hardly a house left that has not been hit by rockets, mortar shells, or other explosives,” he said.
He further explained that when the clashes were ongoing, residents from surrounding villages came out and attempted to negotiate with both the militants and the security forces. “The Taliban were adamant about not releasing the damaged armored vehicle, while the security forces were equally firm in not leaving it behind.
Eventually, we locals negotiated with the Taliban for its release and, in the presence of security forces, towed it with a crane to the Mir Ali camp,” he said. However, he added that civilians were mostly affected by the heavy weapons used by the security forces.
Earlier, on December 17, during clashes between security forces and militants in the area, two mortar shells hit Nisar Ali’s house, injuring his brother and daughter. In those clashes, a resident of Moski was killed, while three other civilians were injured.
Following the incident, residents of Mir Ali staged a protest sit-in at the main crossroads of the bazaar on December 18, after the funeral of the deceased. The sit-in was attended by politicians from various parties, leaders of different movements, and local residents. Later, officials held talks with the protesters and gave assurances, after which the sit-in was called off the same evening.
Meanwhile, the Utmanzai Jirga announced on December 19 that it would hold a gathering titled “Aman Pasoon” (Peace Uprising) on January 2 against insecurity, targeted killings, and the targeting of civilians during clashes between militants and the military.
Residents of the area say that when militants fire rockets at military camps from within populated areas, the military responds by firing mortar shells from the camps and carrying out bombardments using helicopters and drones.
The North Waziristan administration and the military have not yet commented on the recent clashes or on the claims made by residents of Mir Ali. However, in the past, they have assured that the protection of civilians remains a priority during operations.
According to media reports, the brigade commander in North Waziristan, Major General Adil Iftikhar Waraich, said on December 19 that he had consulted elders of the Utmanzai Jirga regarding the security situation. He said that operations would continue until militants are eliminated and that these efforts have the support of tribal elders.
The Deputy Commissioner of North Waziristan, Muhammad Yousaf Karim, also expressed sorrow over civilian casualties in the clashes more than a week earlier and said that, in line with government policy, compensation would be provided for losses of life and property.
Earlier this month, on December 19, four soldiers were injured, and five suspected militants were killed during an attack and subsequent clash at a military camp in the Tehsil Datta Khel area of Boya of the district. Local residents said that houses were damaged during the incident and that around 15 civilians were injured. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Previously, people in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including North Waziristan, have staged protests against civilian casualties and property damage caused during military operations and clashes.
Over the past four years, insecurity, militant attacks, and clashes between militants and security forces and police have intensified sharply in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During this period, dozens of drone strikes and mortar shell attacks have been carried out in tribal areas and southern districts of the province, often resulting in civilian casualties.
On Wednesday, a seminary in the Raghzai area of Tank district was targeted in a drone strike, resulting in injuries to children attending religious classes. According to local journalist Adnan Bittani, three missiles were fired at the madrassa, hitting both the boys’ and girls’ sections. As a result, nine boys were injured, while no girls were harmed.
Furthermore, on December 13, a military drone strike on a shop in the Mamandkhel (Mohmandkhel) area of Bannu district killed a commander of an armed group along with three children. Residents of these districts often blame Pakistan’s security forces for such attacks. However, the military maintains that it pays full attention to the protection of civilians during its operations.