Five civilians were injured Thursday in Mamund tehsil, Bajaur District, when militants fired mortar shells, derailing a recently agreed-upon ceasefire and the local jirga to withdraw from peace negotiations.

The incident occurred just a day after a jirga, attended by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali and DPO Waqas Rafiq, brought together local elders and political leaders. The jirga had successfully brokered a ceasefire agreement, with assurances that mortar fire would cease in populated areas.

Further agreements included easing daytime curfews and maintaining a nighttime curfew, terms accepted by district administration officials. The jirga members also pledged to negotiate with protesters at a location called Umrah.

However, Thursday’s mortar attack has shattered the fragile peace. A member of the jirga, while speaking to Khabar Kada, denounced the shelling as a clear violation of the ceasefire, announcing his withdrawal from the negotiations and declaring the ceasefire null and void.

This development casts serious doubt on the future of peace and security in the region. The injured civilians were immediately transported to a hospital for treatment.