Kabul: (Kubha News)- In Pakistan airstrikes on Afghan soil, seven children and four women are killed, and three children are injured. These airstrikes took place late last night in the areas of Laman village in Bermel district of Paktika and Pache Meleh in Speera district of Khost province.
Pakistani media, citing security sources, reported that in these attacks, Abdullah Shah, the commander of the Pakistani Taliban, was killed, but minutes after these attacks, a video of Shah surfaced on social media, in which he dismissed the reports about himself as baseless and stated that he lives in the mountainous regions of Shawal in Waziristan.
Taliban Response
A few hours after these attacks, the Taliban government confirmed Pakistani aircraft airstrikes on Afghan soil. Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid admitted to the media that Pakistan carried out airstrikes on some areas of Afghanistan.
The Taliban government, in a statement, called these airstrikes irresponsible and a violation of Afghan territory, adding: “A person named Abdullah Shah, claimed by the Pakistani side, was targeted in this incident, and he is [inside Pakistan, on the other side of the Durand Line].”
Simultaneously, the Taliban Ministry of Defense released a picture of Mullah Yaqoob, the acting defense minister, in military uniform and explained that in response to Pakistani airstrikes, they had attacked Pakistani military bases along the Durand Line.
Local sources told Kubha News that these clashes occurred in Tanai district and Speera district of Khost province, Dand Patan district of Paktia province, and current border areas of Bermel and Lwara districts of Paktika province. Sources confirmed that in this clash, two Taliban fighters, seven children, and four women were killed, but there is a possibility of more casualties.
Meanwhile, Pakistani media reported the death of a senior Pakistani military officer in today’s clashes with the Taliban.
Reactions
Naseer Ahmad Faiq, the acting head of Afghanistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations, called Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil a clear violation of international laws and Afghan territorial integrity.
Faiq wrote on his X page: “We strongly condemn these actions; the killing of Afghan women and children is unacceptable and cannot be justified by any security threat.”
On the other hand, Hamid Karzai, former Afghan president, called Pakistani airstrikes a clear violation of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and international standards.
In a newsletter issued by Karzai press office, states that Hamid Karzai strongly condemns these attacks and considers such actions by Pakistan detrimental to relations between the two countries and advocates for a change in Islamabad’s policy and the establishment of a civilized relationship based on good neighborliness with Afghanistan.
Earlier, last years, Pakistani jets had bombed four villages in Speera district of Khost province. In those airstrikes, 47 residents of Waziristan, including women and children, were killed, and at least 25 others were injured.