Pakistan airstrikes kill 9 civilians, injure 11 in Afghanistan: Taliban

Pakistan’s airstrikes on civilian homes in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces allegedly killed nine civilians, including women and children, and injured 11 others, according to the Taliban.

Kabul: At least nine civilians, including women and children, were killed, and 11 others were injured after Pakistani military airstrikes hit civilian homes in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on Thursday.

Condemning the “act of aggression”, Mujahid said the attack was carried out on Wednesday night in the Chugam area of Shultan district in Kunar, and the Safar area of Garmser district in Helmand, killing and injuring civilians, while destroying three residences.

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“Last night, Pakistani aircraft bombed civilian homes in Chugam, Shultan District of Kunar, and Safar, Garmser District of Helmand. Nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, were killed, 11 were injured, and three homes were destroyed. We condemn this act as an aggression and crime in violation of all accepted principles,” Mujahid posted on X.

The latest attack comes amid an escalating wave of Pakistani airstrikes targeting several provinces across Afghanistan in recent days.

On September 24, Pakistani strikes in Kandahar, Paktia and Khost killed four civilians, while strikes carried out three days earlier in Kunar and Paktika left three people dead.

Last week, Taliban spokesperson Mujahid accused Pakistan of launching attacks against Afghanistan to divert attention from its internal problems and evade its obligations under the Mecca Pact, local media reported.

Speaking at a religious seminary in Kandahar, Mujahid alleged that Islamabad was using attacks on Afghanistan to distract the public from mounting political and economic problems in Pakistan, including protests at home.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed the defence agreement in Mecca on August 7, pledging to strengthen collective deterrence against acts of aggression. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the signatories would be regarded as an attack against all three.

“Pakistan’s recent attacks on Afghanistan were carried out with the aim of escaping the Meeca agreement with Saudi Arabia, while portraying the situation as though Pakistan is engaged in a war in Afghanistan,” Mujahid said.

He further said, “Pakistan, by violating the territory of its neighbouring Islamic country, wants to divert attention from its failures,” Afghan media outlet Ariana News reported.

Mujahid further warned that Afghanistan would give an “appropriate response” to what he described as the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying”.