New Delhi, Mar 18: At least eight individuals, including women and children, were killed in the early hours of Monday due to Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Khost and Paktia provinces.
The ruling Taliban government condemned these attacks, denouncing them as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
Deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat of the Taliban regime labelled the strikes as an invasion, citing Afghanistan’s historical struggle for freedom against external forces.
While Pakistani media asserted that the airstrikes targeted Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including a prominent figure named Abdullah Shah,
The TTP commander, according to the Afghan media, refuted these claims in a video statement, asserting that their operations in Southern Waziristan were ongoing.
Fitrat also dismissed Pakistan’s assertions regarding Abdullah Shah’s death, alleging civilian casualties including women and children instead.
Expressing solidarity, the TTP condemned Pakistan’s actions on Afghan soil, particularly targeting displaced individuals from Waziristan.
The aftermath of the airstrikes sparked military confrontations between Afghan and Pakistani forces in several districts, including Dand-e-Patan, Tanai, and Barmal, Tolo News Agency of Afghanistan reported.
This incident adds to a series of border clashes that have plagued Afghanistan’s relations with Pakistan, over the past two years.
The Pakistani Foreign Office confirmed conducting “intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations” within Afghan borders, citing threats posed by groups like the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group and TTP, responsible for numerous terrorist attacks within Pakistan.
These strikes come in the wake of heightened tensions following an attack on Pakistani security personnel in North Waziristan, claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group. Some seven Pak soldiers were killed in the attack.
Pakistan’s newly appointed President Asif Ali Zardari vowed retaliation, emphasising Pakistan’s resolve to defend its borders and citizens.