15 civilians, including women & children, killed in Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan

At least 15 people, including women and children, were reported to have been killed in a series of airstrikes carried out by Pakistan in Barmal district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province late on Tuesday night. Local media quoted sources as saying that the toll is expected to rise.

According to a report by The Associated Press, in one of the rare airstrikes carried out by Pakistan, it targeted multiple hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan. Quoting four security officials, the report said that the airstrikes dismantled a training facility and killed some insurgents.

A spokesperson of the Taliban Ministry of Defence, Enayatullah Khwarazmi, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “civilian people, mostly Waziristani refugees,” had been killed in the Pakistani airstrikes on Tuesday.

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“Several children and other civilians were martyred and wounded” in the attack, he further said, though no official casualty figures have been provided so far.

A report by Afghanistan-based Khaama Press quoted sources as saying that at least 15 bodies, including women and children, have been recovered, and the death toll is expected to rise as search efforts continue.

The Pakistani airstrikes have caused widespread destruction, Khaama Press report said, adding that it would further escalate tensions in the region.

Second such attack since March

The attack on Tuesday was second such on alleged hideouts of Pakistani Taliban since March, when Pakistan carried out intelligence-based strikes in the border regions inside neighbouring Afghanistan.

Victims mostly were refugees from Waziristan

Though Pakistan says its target were hideouts of Pakistani Taliban, AP report quoted the Afghan Defence Ministry as saying that the bombing targeted civilians, including women and children. Most victims were said to be refugees from the Waziristan region. They are civilians who had been displaced by military operations in Pakistan’s tribal areas.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers this a brutal act against all international principles and blatant aggression and strongly condemns it,” the Afghan Defence Ministry said.

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Pakistan targeted 7 villages in Afghanistan

As per Khaama Press report, Pakistani airstrikes targeted seven villages, including Laman, where five members of a family were killed.

The report quoted local sources as claiming that Pakistani jets were responsible for the bombings.

Local media reports indicate that the Murg Bazaar village in Barmal was also destroyed, exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Taliban vows to retaliate

The Taliban’s Ministry of Defence has vowed to retaliate following the airstrike on Barmal.

Condemning the attack the ministry said that defending their land and sovereignty is their legitimate right.

Pakistani officials have been silent about the airstrikes and are yet to officially confirm about them.

Islamabad often claims that the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), use Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan, a charge Kabul has denied.

However, the Pakistani Taliban has increased its attacks on Pakistani forces over the recent months, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to these militants.

Pakistan, meanwhile, maintains that many TTP commanders and fighters have fled to Afghanistan, where they are reportedly being protected by the Afghan Taliban in border provinces.

With inputs from agencies.