Pakistani air strikes reported in Afghan territory
Istanbul (ANTARA) - Pakistani forces reportedly launched air strikes across several areas in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, according to local Afghan media and Pakistan’s Ministry of Information.
“Several sources told TOLOnews that following air strikes in Khogyani district, Nangarhar Province, Pakistani forces also carried out strikes in the Ghani Khel and Behsud districts of the same province,” the Afghan news channel wrote on social media platform X.
The outlet added that sources also reported that in Behsud district, the home of a civilian identified as Shahabuddin was targeted. Pakistani forces also conducted air strikes overnight in the Barmal and Urgun districts of Paktika Province.
Citing security sources, the outlet reported no casualties in the strikes on Barmal and Urgun districts.
“The Pakistani military has confirmed carrying out strikes in Afghan territory, claiming to have targeted seven headquarters belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP),” TOLOnews reported in a separate post.
According to Pashto-language reports, a religious sermon gathering was also affected by the strikes in Barmal district, Paktika.
Citing Nangarhar Police spokesperson Sayed Tayyeb Hammad, 23 people were trapped beneath rubble after a civilian home in Behsud district was struck. Four people had been rescued, whilst search and rescue operations were still underway.
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X on Sunday that elements of the Pakistani military had once again violated Afghan territory.
“Last night they bombarded our civilians in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, causing dozens of people, including women and children, to be killed and wounded,” he said.
“Pakistani generals are covering up the security weaknesses in their own country through actions like these,” Mujahid added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated on X on Sunday that “Pakistan, in a retaliatory response, has carried out selective intelligence-based targeting of seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to the Pakistani Taliban from Fitna al Khwarij and its affiliates and ISKP in border areas.”
The strikes were said to have followed recent suicide bombing incidents in Pakistan.
“Pakistan expects and reiterates that the Interim Afghan Government fulfil its obligations and refuse the use of its territory by Khwarij and terrorists to launch attacks against Pakistan, as the safety and security of the Pakistani people is paramount,” the ministry added.
Pakistan also vowed to avenge the killing of two security personnel on Saturday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and warned it would not allow attacks launched from Afghan territory to go unanswered.
As of the time of reporting, there was no official information regarding the total number of casualties resulting from the strikes.