"...My son called out that he was hurt. As I turned to him, a wall collapsed on him. He said, 'Father, don't touch me, my whole body is torn.' After that, everything was taken from me."
These are the words of Najakat Khan, a resident of Nangarhar, Afghanistan, who narrowly survived a Pakistani strike. Yet, survival is intertwined with an endless tale of sorrow as his family is left shattered.
Nangarhar and Paktika are border regions of Afghanistan where Pakistan launched its attacks. Pakistan claims to have killed 80 individuals, labeling them as terrorists, while Afghanistan mourns them as innocents.
My Aunt Was Our Guest, Buried Under Debris
Najakat recounted, around midnight we were startled by an explosion. Smoke billowed, the room was enveloped in darkness. My beloved aunt, our guest, was buried under the rubble. This tragic narrative was reported by Tolo News.
A local, Anwar Khan shared,
“Five bodies remain unaccounted for. One of the martyrs was a hardworking poor man, cruelly wronged. He was our neighbor who sustained his family through farming.”
Source: aajtak
Another neighbor, Abdul Wahid mentioned, “After the blast, villagers contacted one another, soon realizing the destruction. The house was utterly obliterated."
Homes Razed, Treasures Buried Under Rubble
The stories from poverty-stricken regions of Afghanistan are heart-wrenching. Pakistani interventions have left mud homes flattened, burying both people and their possessions.
Graves Dug with JCBs
Poverty has numbed their senses. The death toll is so high that JCBs were employed for grave-digging. Anger simmers against Pakistan, but they feel powerless.
Pakistani forces claimed at least 80 lives on the Afghan border in Saturday night strikes, arguing attacks were aimed at terrorist enclaves responsible for recent incidents within the country. Kabul refuted these assertions.
As Afghanistan attempted to recover, another assault targeted Pakistani soil on Sunday night. Pakistan’s military bombed a residential house in Paktika’s Arghun district and a mosque alongside a madrasa in the Bermal district.
The House Was Empty
This time Afghanistan initiated an attack on Paktika. Abdullah Jan from the family whose home was bombed commented, “Past midnight, aircraft bombed our empty home. They presumably targeted TTP hiding places, though no one was present, rendering our abode useless. The financial loss is estimated between 5 and 6 million Afghanis.”
Mirza Ali Khan Saeed, the district governor of Arghun remarked, “Bombings occurred first at midnight, then at 2 a.m., without casualties, but leaving complete ruin. Bermal district’s madrasa wasn't spared.”
Pakistan Masks Its Failures
Local residents indicate the absence of any military installations or maneuvers, alleging Pakistan routinely violates Afghan airspace targeting residential zones to veer off domestic failures.
Eyewitness Mohammad Zubair remarked, "The situation was dire; women and children's terror was palpable. Dust and smoke enveloped the air, carrying an acrid stench. Our neighbors facilitated our escape to a safer place."
Naseem Gul commented, "This attack was mercilessly brutal. We urge the Islamic Emirate to respond, ensuring recurrence is avoided as these assaults are frequent."
It’s not unprecedented for Pakistan to violate Afghan airspace, targeting residential zones. About five months ago, an aerial attack in Paktika’s Arghun district claimed 11 civilian lives and severely injured 12 others, including eight cricket players.
