The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Pakistan said Thursday it carried out airstrikes on militant hideouts in Afghanistan, while Taliban authorities said the strikes hit civilian homes and killed nine people, including women and children.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in
a statement that the strikes were carried out under its “Ghazab lil Haq”
operation against what it described as militant hideouts and safe havens linked
to groups it calls “Fitna al Khwarij” and “Fitna al Hindustan.”
The ministry said the strikes targeted two locations in
Afghanistan based on what it described as credible intelligence and that
initial reports indicated 22 militants had been killed. It also said weapons
and ammunition stored at the sites were destroyed.
Pakistan said its forces took precautions to prevent
civilian casualties and described the operation as part of its broader
counterterrorism campaign under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” initiative.
Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban
authorities, gave a different account. In a post on X, he said Pakistani
aircraft bombed civilian homes in Chugam in Sheltan district of Kunar province
and Safar in Garmser district of Helmand province.
Mujahid said nine Afghan civilians, including women and
children, were killed and 11 others were wounded. He also said three homes were
destroyed.
The Taliban spokesman condemned the strikes as an act of
aggression and a violation of international principles.
The competing casualty claims could not be independently
verified.
