In a devastating series of airstrikes by the Pakistani military on Tuesday in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, at least 46 people lost their lives, most of whom were women and children. The Afghan Taliban has vowed to retaliate against its neighboring country for such an act.
As reported by Reuters, the Taliban's deputy spokesperson, Hamdullah Fitrat, disclosed on Wednesday that bombings occurred at four sites within Afghanistan, resulting in injuries to six individuals. Requests for comments were not promptly answered by the Pakistani government and military officials.
The spokesperson for the National Defense Ministry, Inayatullah Khawarazmi, described the assault as a heinous violation of international principles and an overt act of aggression, affirming that a response will be forthcoming.
Note that the contentious relations between the two neighbors continue. Pakistan contends that numerous terrorist activities in its territory have their origins in Afghanistan. However, the Afghan Taliban refutes these allegations. Their relationship further deteriorated in March when the Taliban accused Pakistan of conducting two aerial strikes on its territory, resulting in the death of five women and children. At that juncture, Pakistan acknowledged carrying out intelligence-based counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan but did not clarify the operations' specifics.
Malel, a resident of Bermal, told AFP that Tuesday's attacks claimed the lives of 18 members of a single family. He recounted, "Two or three homes were bombed, and in one, 18 members of a family perished entirely. Another home saw three fatalities, with many more wounded who were rushed to the hospital."
These tragic events have intensified the already strained ties between the two nations, which are embroiled in mutual allegations of cross-border terrorism, and have consequently raised concerns about future stability in the region.
