PESHAWAR/KHYBER: Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the deaths of four civilians in Tirah Valley, calling the incident a result of “incompetence” by security personnel deployed in Khyber tribal district.
Read More: 14 terrorists, 10 civilians killed in Tirah militant compound ‘blast’
In a statement posted on X, the chief minister said, “Once again, innocent people have been targeted by security forces in Tirah. Four innocent civilians were martyred and five were injured. This collateral damage is due to the incompetence of security personnel.” He assured that the provincial government stands with the families of the deceased and injured.
تیراہ میں ایک دفعہ پھر سیکورٹی فورسز کی فائرنگ سے معصوم لوگوں کو نشانہ بنایا گیا۔ جس کی میں شدید الفاظ میں مذمت کرتا ہوں۔ ۴ معصوم شہری شہید اور ۵ زخمی ہوئے۔ یہ کولیٹرل ڈیمیج وہاں پر معمور سیکورٹی اہلکاروں کی نا اہلی ہے۔ صوبائی حکومت شہداء اور زخمیوں کی فیملی کے ساتھ کھڑی ہے اور…
— Sohail Afridi (@SohailAfridiISF) February 22, 2026
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also condemned the incident, calling the targeting of civilians “extremely regrettable” and demanding a transparent and impartial investigation to hold those responsible accountable. The party expressed condolences to the victims’ families and prayed for the recovery of the injured.
The deaths occurred when a moving vehicle carrying five persons—including two children and three adults—was struck by a mortar shell in Endra locality of Akkakhel near the Orakzai border. Victims were reportedly on their way home after purchasing essential goods for Iftar. Five others were injured in the attack.
Relatives of the deceased initially staged a protest at Bara Chowk, accompanied by local officials including MNA Iqbal Afridi, Bara Siyasi Ittehad activists, and tehsil councillors. Disagreements arose among protesters over whether to transport the bodies to Peshawar or bury them locally. Frustrated with the arguments, families decided to bury the dead in Tirah at midnight.
Officials, including the commissioner of Peshawar and deputy commissioner of Khyber, met the families to offer condolences and urged calm. Security and provincial authorities are expected to investigate the incident to determine accountability and prevent future civilian casualties.
Read More: Khawaja Asif defends routine Tirah movement
The incident has once again raised concerns over the protection of civilians in conflict-prone tribal areas and highlighted calls for improved accountability of security operations in the region.