Pakistani Airstrikes Lead to Significant Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan

In the wake of airstrikes by the Pakistani military in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar, at least 36 Afghan civilians have been killed and 163 others injured. Islamabad officials have described this operation as a response to a deadly attack on their special forces center in Karachi, targeting militant positions; however, this claim has been dismissed by Kabul, which highlights the extensive casualties among women and children.

Heavy Civilian Casualties in Pakistani Airstrikes on Border Areas

The interim government in Kabul has released shocking figures revealing that the recent airstrikes by the Pakistani military in three eastern provinces resulted in the deaths of 36 civilians and left 163 others severely injured. Hamdullah Fetrat, the acting spokesman for the government, confirmed the details of this tragic event on Monday, July 8, stating that Pakistani fighter jets targeted border districts in Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar, with a significant portion of the victims being women and children.

Tragedy in Chamkani: A Strategy of Repeated Bombing on Civilians

According to documents provided by the acting spokesman, the deadliest incident occurred in the village of Mandokhel in the Chamkani district of Paktia. During the first wave of bombings, an elderly man and a child lost their lives in a residential home; however, the major catastrophe unfolded when local residents gathered to rescue those trapped under the debris, leading to a second bombing by Pakistani aircraft, resulting in the death of 28 people and injuries to 158 civilians. Additionally, in the Giyan district of Paktika, a bombing of a household took the lives of six family members, including women and children, while extensive damage and destruction were reported in homes in the Monawar district of Kunar.

Islamabad’s Claims: Targeting Terrorist Havens in Response to Karachi Attack

In a contrasting narrative, senior security and political officials in Pakistan have provided a different account of these border operations. Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s information minister, claimed in a statement that the military had successfully targeted three specific locations belonging to armed groups during precise ground and air operations near the Durand Line, resulting in the deaths of 29 militants. He noted that this action was a direct retaliation one day after a suicide and armed assault by the group ‘Jamaat-ul-Ahrar’ (a splinter faction of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) on a Rangers special forces center in Karachi, which resulted in the deaths of three Pakistani soldiers and the capture of an attacker possessing an Afghan identity document. Islamabad once again accused Kabul of harboring terrorists, a claim that Kabul vehemently denies.