Pakistan on Thursday confirmed carrying airstrikes on militant hideouts in Afghanistan. According to Afghan officials, the action was termed as a “brutal act” saying that such actions cannot be solution to any problem. As per the officials, atleast 46 people including women and children and got killed in action during the airstrikes carried out by Pakistani fighter jets on several parts of the Barmer district, in Pakistan on Tuesday night. The airstrike also damage several residentials.
A spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch from the Pakistan Foreign Office, responded to a query on airstrikes briefing and said, “The intelligence-based operation was conducted by Pakistani security forces in the border areas of Afghanistan”. She also added, “based on threats to the security of Pakistani citizens”.
Pakistan’s spokesperson emphasized on the diplomacy from the Pakistani counterpart. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch highlighted, “We respect Afghanistan’s integrity and sovereignty”. She also emphasized on the systemic operation of the Pakistani intelligence and law enforcement agencies against the terrorist groups in Pak-Afghan border. Pakistan prioritizes the safety of the its citizens.
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The Afghan Taliban regime strongly condemned and warned Pakistan of the attack’s consequences. As per the sources, Pakistan targeted four locations of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist groups prominent in the parts of Eastern Paktika province. The Afghan Taliban regime’s Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi stated that Islamic Emirate considered the attack as “brutal act” violating international principles. He said, “Pakistan must realize such arbitrary actions do not solve any problems”.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai including other reason condemned the same, describing the airstrike as an attack on Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
Abdullah Abdullah, the former Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation also said calling the strike as clear signal of violating the sovereignty of Afghanistan. Pakistan has been facing increased militancy since Afghan Taliban regime came to power in 2021.
