A series of Pakistani air strikes on the Barmal district of Paktika province in Afghanistan has resulted in the death of at least 15 people, including women and children, and the death toll is expected to rise.
The attacks on the night of 24 December targeted seven villages, including Laman, where five members of a family were killed, Khama Press reported.
Local sources claim that Pakistani jets were responsible for the bombing. Reports indicate that Murgh Bazar village in Barmal was destroyed, exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis.
The air strikes caused serious civilian casualties and widespread destruction, further escalating tensions in the region. Khama Press reported that as recovery efforts continue, further investigation is needed to confirm details and clarify responsibility for the attacks.
Taliban’s Defense Ministry has vowed to retaliate after airstrikes on Barmal, Paktika.
The ministry said it is their legitimate right to defend their land and sovereignty, and condemned the attack, claiming that “Waziristani refugees” were among those targeted.
Although Pakistani officials have not officially confirmed the airstrike, security sources close to the military suggested that the strike was targeted at Taliban positions near the border.
This comes amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially over the presence of Pakistani terrorists in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has increased its attacks on Pakistani forces in recent months, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan Taliban of harboring these terrorists, Khaama Press reports.
Taliban Defense Ministry spokesman Inayatullah Khwarezmi denied Pakistani claims and posted on Twitter (formerly Twitter) that “civilians, mostly Waziristani refugees” were killed in the airstrike.
Khwarezmi said that “many children and other civilians were martyred and injured” in the attack, although no official number of casualties was provided. Sources said at least 15 bodies, including those of women and children, have been recovered, and the death toll is expected to rise as search efforts continue.
Waziristan refugees are civilians who were displaced by military operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan. However, Pakistan says that many TTP commanders and fighters have fled to Afghanistan, where they are reportedly being protected by the Afghan Taliban in the border provinces. Khama Press reported.
There has been tension between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban for some time due to the current presence of TTP terrorists in Afghanistan. While Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of harboring these terrorists, the Taliban says it is not cooperating with the group.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
