Mortar blast kills five children, injures 12 in northwest Pakistan

At least five children were killed and 12 others injured when a mortar shell exploded in northwestern Pakistan’s Lakki Marwat district, officials confirmed on Saturday.

The incident occurred in Sarband village, where children reportedly discovered an unexploded mortar shell in a nearby field and brought it into a residential area. “The device went off while they were playing with it,” said Shadab Ahmed Khan, Media Coordinator for Rescue 1122 Lakki Marwat, in a statement to Nukta.

He confirmed that five children died on the spot, while 12 others were critically injured and rushed to Lakki City Hospital for treatment.

Rescue officials identified the deceased children as Zeenat, Palwasha, Shaila, Muzammil, and Rafiullah.

In the aftermath, Medical Superintendent Kifayat Ullah Battani declared an emergency at the hospital, cancelled all staff leave, and directed medical personnel to report for immediate duty. “Many of the injured are in stable condition and are receiving ongoing treatment,” he added.

Local sources suggest that mortar shells are frequently used during security operations in the region. It is believed the device found by the children may have failed to detonate when originally fired.

However, District Police Officer (DPO) Nazir Ahmed urged caution, saying, “Initial signs suggest the device was old. Police and Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) teams are at the scene and investigating how the mortar shell ended up there.”

FIR registered over 'drone strike'

In a separate incident the previous day, police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown assailants following a suspected drone strike in Lakki City that killed one man and injured two women.

The FIR was filed by local resident Saadullah, who said his father, mother, and sister-in-law were working in their crop field when an explosive device - allegedly dropped by a drone - detonated nearby. The case includes charges of murder, attempted murder, and provisions under the Explosive Substances Act. Authorities have yet to confirm the nature or origin of the drone involved.

Escalating security crisis

The incidents come amid growing instability in Lakki Marwat, a district increasingly gripped by militant violence since the Taliban’s return to power in neighboring Afghanistan.

According to police sources, the proscribed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains the most active group in the area, frequently targeting police stations, government officials, and security checkpoints. Abductions and roadside attacks have become near-daily occurrences.