Five children martyred, 13 injured in mortar shell explosion in Lakki Marwat

LAKKI MARWAT: A mortar shell’s explosion in the Langar Khel area of district Lakki Marwat left at least five children martyred and 13 others injured on Saturday.

The shell exploded when the children brought it home, unaware of its danger, and it exploded in their home while playing with it. According to initial reports, the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Saddar police station.

Four girls and a boy are among the deceased, aged between six and twelve.

Rescue personnel reported that 13 members of the same home, including men and women, were taken to a local hospital for medical treatment after suffering injuries of various intensities.

Soon after the explosion, District Police Officer (DPO) Lakki Marwat and other law enforcement officers arrived at the scene and surrounded the area.

Earlier, in another development, the Counter-Terrorism Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed three militants in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Swat’s Barikot area on Friday evening, according to a CTD official.

The CTD launched the operation at 7 PM after receiving the information on the presence of terrorists in the Parrai area of Ghaligay, according to District Police Officer (DPO) Swat Umar Khan Gandapur.

All three of the militants were killed as the police responded to the terrorists’ fire. The terrorist of Afghan descent was sought in nine terrorism crimes, according to DPO Gundapur, while the other two were each implicated in two instances.