Eight people, including five women and three children have been killed in two airstrikes carried out by Pakistan in the border region of Afghanistan, a Taliban government spokesperson said. Retaliating to the attack, the Afghan security forces have launched heavy weapons at the Pakistani military. Pakistan claims the attack launched from Afghan soil but it has been denied by the Afghanistan ruled Taliban.
For the unversed, the border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the two neighbouring countries have increased ever since the Taliban government seized power in 2021 with Islamabad accusing terrorist groups of carrying out regular attacks against them.
In a post on X, the Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that around 3:00 AM last night, Pakistani planes bombed houses of civilians in the Barmal district of Paktika province and Afghan Dubai area of Sepera District of the Khost Province, killing three women and three children, also a house was destroyed killing two women.
Condemning these attacks, Zabihullah said, “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns these attacks and calls this reckless action a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not allow anyone to compromise security by using Afghan territory,” Mujahid said.
“The people of Pakistan and the new government should stop the Army generals from the continuation of wrong policies for the benefit of others like the last 20 years and spoiling the relationship between two friendly Muslim nation,” Mujahid added. The air strikes in Afghanistan came after seven Pakistani troops were killed on March 16, 2024 in a suicide bombing and coordinated attacks in a northwestern region for which Asif Ali Zardari had vowed retaliation.
In the attack which took place on March 16, 2024, the country’s northwestern Waziristan province two officers were among the seven Pakistani personnel killed. All the six terrorists who attacked the Mir Ali areas were shot dead. Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan took responsibility for the attacks the military post and it is considered to be one of the strongest terror groups in Waziristan.
There have been no comments from Pakistan army and foreign office so far, on the strikes in Afghanistan. Pakistan should not blame Afghanistan for the incompetence, lack of control and problems in its own territory, Mujahid said. Such incidents can have various disastrous consequences which will not be in Pakistan’s control.
The areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border have long been a stronghold for terrorist groups including Pakistan’s home-grown Taliban group, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, which operates across thr porous frontiers with Afghanistan. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan emboldened the TTP whose top leaders and fighters are hiding in Afghanistan.
