Pakistan Airstrikes Kill 46 in Afghanistan, Taliban Warns Retaliation

Pakistani military aircraft carried out airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Tuesday, leaving 46 people dead, mostly women and children, according to Afghan Taliban officials. The strikes, which targeted four locations, also injured six others, the Taliban’s deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said.

In response, Afghanistan’s foreign ministry summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in Kabul to issue a formal protest. The ministry labeled the attack a “blatant violation of international principles” and warned of repercussions. “The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered,” said defense ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowrazmi.

International Media Reported An unnamed Pakistani official confirmed the strikes targeted a camp allegedly used by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for a recent attack in South Waziristan that killed 16 Pakistani soldiers. The TTP, which operates independently of the Afghan Taliban, has been accused of using Afghan soil for launching attacks against Pakistan.