Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Barmal district in Paktika province on December 24, resulting in at least 15 fatalities, including women and children, with the death toll likely to rise as rescue operations continue, according to Khaama Press. The attacks targeted seven villages, significantly damaging areas like Laman and Murg Bazaar, where five family members perished. The Pakistani military jets are reported to be responsible for these bombings.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense has condemned the airstrikes, promising retaliation and asserting that protecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty is a legitimate right. The ministry noted that among the casualties were “Waziristani refugees.” The strikes occur amidst heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, fueled mainly by allegations of Afghanistan harboring militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who have intensified assaults on Pakistani forces.
Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering these fighters, a claim Afghanistan denies, stating that those affected by the bombings were mainly displaced civilians. In contrast, the Afghan Taliban argue that civilians, rather than militants, were the victims of these strikes. The Afghan Ministry of Defense condemned the act as a violation of international principles, pledging to defend their land.
The attacks coincided with a visit from Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, to Kabul for discussions on trade and relations, raising concerns over worsening diplomatic ties. The TTP ended a ceasefire with Pakistan in November 2022 and has since increased attacks on Pakistani troops, further complicating security in the region.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistan-launches-series-of-airstrikes-on-afghanistan-at-least-15-killed/articleshow/116645120.cms
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Publish Date: 2024-12-25 07:27:00
