Following Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in the Afghan provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika, no country has yet officially condemned the attacks. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has confirmed that 13 civilians were killed and 10 others injured as a result of the strikes.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information stated that the operations were conducted in a targeted manner based on intelligence reports and were aimed at hideouts and shelters of individuals whom Islamabad claims were involved in planning recent attacks inside Pakistan.
In response, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, said that the early Wednesday morning strikes targeted residential homes, resulting in the deaths of 13 civilians, including 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man. According to him, 14 other people were also injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General expressed concern during a press briefing over rising tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan. Farhan Haq urged both sides to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure under all circumstances.
Despite expressing concern, the United Nations has not formally condemned Pakistan’s recent airstrikes.
Pakistan has rejected allegations that civilians were killed in the strikes, describing statements by Taliban officials as “propaganda warfare.” Pakistani authorities maintain that the targets of the operation were members of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Islamabad has also announced that 26 TTP militants were killed during the operation. The Pakistani government described the strikes as part of its ongoing campaign against armed groups and terrorist activities.
The attacks come amid a series of cross-border strikes carried out by the Pakistani military in recent months against targets in various parts of Afghanistan. These actions have drawn criticism from a number of Afghan politicians and political figures, who have described them as violations of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.
Among regional countries, India had previously been the only nation to condemn Pakistan’s airstrikes in the Afghan provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika. At the time, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs criticized the attacks and reaffirmed New Delhi’s support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, Indian officials have not yet issued any official statement regarding Pakistan’s latest strikes in Khost, Kunar, and Paktika.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
