Pakistan, in rare air strikes, targeted several suspected Pakistani Taliban hideouts inside neighboring Afghanistan on Tuesday, dismantling a training facility and killing some insurgents.
Khama Press, based in Afghanistan, claimed that a series of Pakistani air strikes on the Barmal district of Paktika province killed at least 15 people, including women and children, with the death toll expected to rise.
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Khama Press reported that the attacks, which occurred on the night of December 24, targeted seven villages, including Laman, where five members of one family were killed.
Some media reports indicate that the Murg Bazaar village in Barmal has been destroyed, exacerbating the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
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The air strikes caused heavy civilian casualties and widespread destruction, leading to escalation of tensions in the region. As recovery efforts continue, further investigation is needed to confirm details and clarify responsibility for the attacks, Khama Press reported.
The Taliban vowed revenge
The Taliban Ministry of Defense vowed to respond following the air strike that targeted Barmal in Paktika province. It stated that defending their land and sovereignty is their legitimate right, and condemned the attack, claiming that “Waziristan refugees” were among those targeted.
While Pakistani officials have not officially confirmed the airstrikes, the reports come amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially regarding the presence of Pakistani militants in Afghanistan.
Khama Press reported that the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, has increased its attacks on Pakistani forces in recent months, as Pakistan accused the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to these militants.
The second attack since March
This is the second such attack on alleged Pakistani Taliban hideouts since March, when Pakistan said intelligence-based strikes took place in border areas inside Afghanistan, the Associated Press news agency reported.
In a post on X platform, the Afghan Defense Ministry said that the Pakistani side should know that such unilateral measures do not represent a solution to any problem.
He added that the Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered, but rather considers defending its lands and lands its inalienable right.
The strikes came hours after Muhammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, traveled to Kabul to discuss a range of issues, including how to boost bilateral trade and improve relations.
Pakistani Taliban attacks on Pakistani soldiers
- The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, has intensified its attacks on Pakistani soldiers and police since November 2022, when it unilaterally ended a ceasefire with the government after months of talks hosted by the Afghan government in Kabul failed.
- In recent months, the Pakistani Taliban have killed and wounded dozens of soldiers in attacks inside the country.
- The Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2020. The Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan also emboldened the Pakistani Taliban, whose leaders and fighters are hiding in Afghanistan.
