15 killed in Pakistan's late-night airstrikes in Afghanistan, Taliban vows retaliation
By Gargi Chaudhry | First Published Dec 25, 2024, 10:05 AM ISTPakistan conducted late-night airstrikes on bases of the Pakistani Taliban in areas near to the Afghanistan border, with the Taliban condemning the "brutal" act and warning of retaliation for such "unilateral measures".
At least 15 people, including women and children, were killed in a series of Pakistani airstrikes that hit Afghanistan's Barmal region in Paktika province. According to local media, the assaults, which happened on the evening of December 24, targeted seven towns, including Laman, where five family members were slain.
Pakistani jets were responsible for the bombings, reports claimed citing local sources. The Murg Bazaar village in Barmal was destroyed. Following the bombing, the Taliban's Ministry of Defense said that they had a legal right to protect their territory and sovereignty and promised to react.
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Condemning the attack, the Taliban claimed that “Waziristani refugees" were among those targeted. The attacks, which coincide with rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially in relation to the presence of Pakistani terrorists in Afghanistan, have not been formally verified by Pakistani officials.
Taliban Ministry of Defence spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi said on X (formerly Twitter) that the bombing had killed "civilian people, mostly Waziristani refugees." Enayatullah Khwarazmi said that “several children and other civilians were martyred and wounded" in the attack. The Waziristani refugees are civilians who had been displaced by military operations in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers this a brutal act against all international principles and blatant aggression and strongly condemns it," the ministry said while referring to Afghanistan's official name.
The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has increased its attacks on Pakistani forces in recent months, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to them.
The Waziristani refugees are civilians who had been displaced by military operations in Pakistan's tribal areas. However, Pakistan maintains that many TTP commanders and fighters have fled to Afghanistan, where they are reportedly being protected by the Afghan Taliban in border provinces.
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