Kabul, Dec 25: At least 15 people, including women and children, were killed in a series of Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Barmal district in Paktika province, as tensions between the neighboring nations continue to rise.
The strikes, reportedly conducted by Pakistani jets, targeted seven villages on the night of December 24, causing significant destruction. Among the affected areas, the village of Laman witnessed the death of five members of a single family, while Murg Bazaar suffered near-total devastation, exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region,as per ANI.
Taliban officials claimed that many of the victims were Waziristani refugees, civilians displaced by Pakistani military operations in tribal areas. “Several children and other civilians were martyred and wounded,” said Enayatullah Khwarazmi, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Defence, in a statement.
The Taliban condemned the airstrikes as a violation of Afghan sovereignty and vowed to retaliate. “Defending our land and sovereignty is our legitimate right,” the Ministry of Defence stated.
While Pakistani officials have not confirmed the airstrikes, security sources suggested the attacks were aimed at Taliban hideouts near the border. The strikes come amid mounting tensions over the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to TTP fighters, who have escalated attacks on Pakistani forces in recent months. The Afghan Taliban denies harboring TTP militants, maintaining that it does not collaborate with the group.
The airstrikes left at least 15 dead, with recovery efforts ongoing and the death toll expected to rise. The destruction of villages like Murg Bazaar has further deepened the humanitarian crisis in the area.
Khwarazmi rejected Pakistan’s allegations, stating, “Civilian people, mostly Waziristani refugees, had been killed in the airstrike.”
The latest incident underscores the deteriorating relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with cross-border violence fueling instability and leaving civilians caught in the crossfire.
