By Staff Reporter
PESHAWAR: A massive explosion tore through a mosque in the remote Hilki area of Charmang, near the Afghan border in Pakistan’s Bajaur district, killing more than 30 militants on Thursday, local media reported, citing official sources.
The blast, which obliterated the mosque, was triggered by an accidental detonation of a large cache of explosives stored inside. The militants had converted the mosque into a hideout for planning terrorist activities in the district, according to official sources.
“The group was preparing for a major terror attack when their explosives went off,” one source told The News daily, speaking on condition of anonymity. The explosion reduced the mosque to rubble, with no civilian casualties reported. Authorities confirmed that all those killed were militants, hailing the incident as a significant setback for terrorist networks in the volatile border region.
The blast occurred in the Charmang area of Bajaur’s Nawagai tehsil, a rugged and remote hilly region, making independent verification challenging, Dawn newspaper reported. Some sources suggested that over two dozen individuals perished, with militants among the dead, though the exact cause of the detonation remains under investigation.
The explosion comes amid Operation Sarbakaf, an ongoing military campaign in Bajaur aimed at rooting out militant strongholds. Residents in parts of the district have been evacuated as security forces intensify efforts to dismantle terrorist networks, particularly in the Mamund area, where a targeted operation was recently launched.
In a separate incident on Thursday, heavy clashes between security forces and militants in the Birmal tehsil of Lower South Waziristan district left at least 11 civilians, including a woman and children, injured, officials and residents told Dawn.
The fighting erupted near Karmazi Stop as troops conducted an operation to seize a key militant stronghold. Security forces successfully established two new posts in the area, sources said. Several militants initially took refuge in a nearby structure but fled during a subsequent clearance operation, according to officials.
The crossfire wounded 11 residents, who received first aid before being transferred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana.
Witnesses reported intermittent gunfire throughout the day, with the area remaining tense as families were confined to their homes for several hours. The Wana-Azam Warsak Road was closed until around 1:00 pm, disrupting daily life and preventing thousands from accessing the bustling Wana Rustam bazaar.
No official statement was issued by Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, regarding either incident.
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