Pakistan Airstrikes in Afghanistan Kill 46, Including Women and Children, Taliban Condemns as ‘Aggression’
At least 46 people, including women and children, were killed in airstrikes conducted by Pakistan in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, the Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, reported on Wednesday. The strikes, which hit the Barmal district late Tuesday night, also left six others injured.
Mujahid condemned the attack as a “clear act of aggression,” vowing that the Taliban government would not let such actions go unpunished.
Afghanistan’s defense ministry also condemned the airstrikes, asserting that the Islamic Emirate would fiercely protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This deadly strike is part of ongoing border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have escalated since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. The cross-border violence has particularly intensified in the border regions, where Pakistan has been battling a rise in militant activity.
Local resident Maleel from Barmal described the devastation, revealing that one of the bombs killed 18 members of a single family. Another strike reportedly killed three people and left several others wounded, who were later hospitalized.
While the Pakistani military has yet to comment on the airstrikes, they come amid rising tensions after a deadly attack by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) on a Pakistani army outpost last week, which resulted in the martyrdom of 16 soldiers.
Despite the growing conflict, both Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed earlier this week to ease tensions and strengthen bilateral relations. Pakistan’s Special Representative, Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, visited Kabul to meet with Afghan officials and traders.
The fragile security situation remains tense, as evidenced by the recent martyrdom of a Pakistani soldier during a terrorist infiltration attempt along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
