New Delhi: Pakistan jets bombed border areas of Afghanistan late on Friday night in retaliation to a terror attack on its convoy earlier in the day — that left seven soldiers dead.
According to reports, Afghan women and children were killed in the air strikes.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) – the media wing of the Pakistani armed forces – had said Friday afternoon that terrorists ambushed a military convoy in Khyber-Pakhtunwala’s North Waziristan disctict, near the Af-Pak border.
ISPR also said security forces initiated a “prompt response, and effectively engaged and killed four terrorists”.
However, later in the night, Pakistani jets carried out simultaneous strikes in north-eastern Kunar and south-eastern Khost provinces of Afghanistan – in remote areas of Chogam and Passa Mela.
Breaking News: Different sources confirm the Pakistani jet fighters carried out late night simultaneous strikes in the Afghanistan north-eastern Kunar and south-eastern Khost provinces, respectively, in "Chogam" and "Passa mela" remote areas sharing a close border with Pakistan.
— Abd. Sayed ترمذی سادات (@abdsayedd) April 16, 2022
Journalist Bashir Ahmad Gwakh said: “As #TTP (Pakistani Taliban) mounts its attacks, #Pakistan jet fighters bombarded Pasa Mela, Korrai & Mirsafar areas in Khost #Afghanistan. Locals say 8 members of one family believed to be from Waziristan were killed. Khost is home to 1000s of displaced Waziristanis. No word from Afg Taliban yet!”
As #TTP mounts its attacks, #Pakistan jet fighters bombarded Pasa Mela, Korrai & Mirsafar areas in Khost #Afghanistan.
Locals say 8 members of one family believed to be from Waziristan were killed. Khost is home to 1000s of displaced Waziristanis.
No word from Afg Taliban yet!
— Bashir Ahmad Gwakh (@bashirgwakh) April 16, 2022
Director General Operations & Head Consultant of Midstone Centre – an independent policy and advocacy centre — for International Affairs tweeted there had been several casualties in Friday night’s attack.
There have been several casualties in last night's alleged Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan: https://t.co/fDPUp8HO5Y
— FJ (@Natsecjeff) April 16, 2022
Pakistani journalist Salim Mehsud said, “Sources have so far confirmed the death of a woman and five children in Kunar.” He feared tension on the Af-Pak border may escalate further.
Pakistani Jets late night carried out bombing in Pecha Mela – Khost & Chogam – Kunar in Afghanistan; so far sources confirmed killing of a woman & 5 children in Kunar; No reports of casualties yet received from Khost. However tension at Pak-Afghan border could escalate further !!
— Saleem Mehsud (@SaleemMehsud) April 16, 2022
Prominent Afghan journalist Bilal Sarwari also spoke of casualities on the micro-blogging site.
#AFG “Pakistani Air Force carried air strikes against TTP in Paktika province in South-eastern Afghanistan and in Chowgaam in Shultan district in Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan. At least 5 people including women& children were killed.” Residents in both provinces say. pic.twitter.com/DeXuxascg2
— BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) April 16, 2022
Pakistani media said the bombings targeted Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members in Khost and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan. The TTP is a militant organisation that operates under the umbrella of the Pakistani Taliban.
TTP has released a statement confirming the Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan. The group said the bombs hit migrant camps inhabited by those who had fled from Pakistan’s tribal areas.
TTP has released a statement confirming Pakistani strikes in Afghanistan. As per TTP, the strikes hit migrant camps where people who had fled from Pakistan's tribal areas were living. TTP gives no figure of its own losses. pic.twitter.com/UmPrHr94Ic
— FJ (@Natsecjeff) April 16, 2022
BBC Afghanistan also confirmed the attacks on civilians in a tweet:
گزارش‌ها از خوست و کنر، در شرق و جنوب شرق افغانستان، حاکیست که شب گذشته هواپیماهای ارتش پاکستان به اهدافی در این دو ولایت حمله کرده‌اند.
منابعی در کنر و خوست در اظهاراتی به بی‌بی‌سی وقوع حملات را تأیید کردند.
گزارش شده که در جریان این حملات هوایی غیرنظامیان کشته شده‌اند. pic.twitter.com/xMrLVFplNs
— BBC Dari (@bbcafghanistan) April 16, 2022
The governments of the two countries are yet to comment on Friday’s bombings.
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