Pakistan launches deadly strikes on Afghanistan<\/p>\n
At least 26 militants were killed, Pakistan\u2019s Information Minister\nAtaullah Tarar said.<\/p>\n
KHOST, Afghanistan: Pakistan has renewed deadly airstrikes on\nneighbouring Afghanistan, officials in both countries said on Wednesday\n(Jun 10), in the worst violence in weeks following a period of relative\ncalm.<\/p>\n
An AFP journalist saw a house completely destroyed in the\nsoutheastern province of Khost, where residents were digging graves to\nbury those killed in a nighttime attack.<\/p>\n
Afghanistan\u2019s government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said \u201c11\nchildren, one woman, and one elderly man were killed\u201d in strikes on\nKhost, Kunar and Paktika provinces.<\/p>\n
Islamabad said the strikes came in response to \u201crecent terrorist\nincidents in Pakistan\u201d and killed 26 militants linked to the\nTehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that \u201cprecise\nand calibrated strikes\u201d targeted militant \u201chideouts and safe havens\u201d in\nborder areas, without commenting on civilian casualties.<\/p>\n
The attack in Khost\u2019s Spera district killed nine people and wounded\n10 others, including children, a provincial official told AFP on\ncondition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
Multiple residents confirmed the death toll and said the strike hit\nMane village soon after midnight (3.30am, Singapore time).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe and people from the neighbouring areas rushed to the scene and\nrescued the remaining people. We even took some wounded to the clinic,\u201d\nsaid Ali Jan Akhlaqi, a 29-year-old resident.<\/p>\n
Shirbat Khan, a 55-year-old resident, told AFP those killed were \u201ca\npoor family, they had done nothing\u201d and had no ties to militants.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s information chief said the strikes hit four targets,\nincluding a training camp, an ammunition cache and a hideout linked to\ntwo TTP commanders.<\/p>\n
FRAUGHT RELATIONS<\/p>\n
In neighbouring Paktika, two residents said a separate attack killed\nthree civilians in Barmal district.<\/p>\n
The strike hit a home, and those killed were children, one of the\nresidents said.<\/p>\n
The strikes are the deadliest in weeks and follow a period of\nrelative calm at the border after conflict between the two countries\nerupted in late February.<\/p>\n
An escalation saw fierce fighting along the frontier and\nunprecedented Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan cities - including the\ncapital Kabul and southern Kandahar, where the supreme leader is\nbased.<\/p>\n
At least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 others wounded in\nthat conflict in the first three months of this year, a United Nations\nreport published last month said.<\/p>\n
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been fraught since\nthe Taliban authorities took power in Kabul for a second time in\n2021.<\/p>\n
Security issues have proved a sticking point, especially Pakistan\u2019s\ndemand that Afghanistan curb the TTP militant group.<\/p>\n
Islamabad accuses the Taliban government of sheltering militants\nbehind a surge in attacks, particularly the TTP, which has waged a\nviolent campaign against Pakistan for years.<\/p>\n
Tarar, Pakistan\u2019s information chief, signalled military operations\nwould continue.<\/p>\n
\u201cPakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in\nthe region, but at the same time, the safety and security of our\ncitizens remains our top priority,\u201d he wrote on X.<\/p>\n
Afghan officials have repeatedly denied the accusations from\nIslamabad, and counter that Pakistan harbours hostile groups and does\nnot respect its sovereignty.<\/p>\n
The border between the neighbours has remained largely closed since a\nflare-up in violence in October, freezing bilateral trade.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pakistan-launches-deadly-strikes-on-afghanistan-1781085056", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }