NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s air strikes on Wednesday in Afghanistan’s northeast Paktika province killed 46 persons which generally included women and children, said a Taliban official.
” Last night ( Tuesday ), Pakistan bombarded four points in the Barmal district of Paktika province. The overall number of dead is 46, most of whom were kids and women”, Taliban spokeswoman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP, adding that six people, mostly children, were wounded.
The Taliban’s military department condemned the attacks, describing them as “barbaric” and” clear anger”. The Islamic Emirate stated in a statement that” the country values the defense of its territory and independence as its unalienable right rather than keep this cruel act unanswered.”
Native people reported severe losses. Maleel, a native of Barmal, said,” The bombing hit two or three homes. In one apartment, 18 people were killed, the whole family lost their lives”. He added that some injured persons had been hospitalized after three people were killed in a different home.
Similar Muslim air strikes in March apparently killed eight citizens, leading to border skirmishes. Since the Taliban took power of Afghanistan in 2021, tensions have increased, with Pakistan accusing Kabul of houseing insurgents responsible for attacks on Muslim land. Kabul has denied the claims.
The most recent hit comes after a recent TTP claim near the Afghan border that 16 soldiers were killed, according to Islamabad knowledge.
On the same day as the weather hits, high-ranking Taliban leaders were meeting with Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan in Kabul. The event has not yet been made public by Pakistani officials.
