Afghanistan: From Saturday night to Sunday morning, the Pak Army bombed many places in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces of eastern Afghanistan. According to Afghan sources, the attacks took place in Khogyani, Ghani Kheel, Behsud districts of Nangarhar. A drone wade took place on a madrassa in Paktika's Barmal district, and strikes were moreover reported in Urgun and Argun districts. Pakistan said these were precision operations based on intelligence—a total of seven locations were targeted.
What is Pakistan's claim?
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and the Ministry of Information posted on Twitter that the attacks were on camps and hideouts of TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan), its unite groups and ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan). This is the wordplay to the three major attacks that took place in Pakistan without the start of Ramadan –
- Suicide bombing on Shia mosque in Islamabad (31 dead, 160 injured)
- Suicide attacks moreover took place in Bajaur and Bannu, in which soldiers were killed.
Pakistan is saying that these groups are operating from Afghan soil, hence necessary steps were taken.
How many deaths occurred in Afghanistan and whose deaths?
The Afghan Taliban and local sources say dozens of people were killed and injured in the attacks, including women and children. The most heartbreaking incident was an wade on a house in Behsud district of Nangarhar, where 19 people of the same family were killed. The family ranged from an 80-year-old man to a 1-year-old child – a total of 21 people, with 2 injured survivors (one named Riyazullah, 20). Nangarhar Police said that 23 people were veiled under the debris, only 4 were rescued, and rescue is going on. The madrasa in Barmal, Paktika was moreover destroyed – the towers reduced to rubble. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, "Bombs were dropped on our civil brothers; dozens were martyred and injured."
What is the reaction of Afghan Taliban?
The Taliban flatly denied Pakistan's allegations – saying they do not indulge any group to use their territory versus a neighboring country. But they warned sternly without the attacks, "There will be revenge very soon." Anger has spread over reports of civil deaths in Afghanistan.
What will happen next?
Relations between the two countries were once bad – verge skirmishes, trade closed, transit routes closed. Now airstrikes and civil deaths wideness the verge have widow fuel to the fire. Pakistan is saying that it will take whatever steps are necessary for security. But Afghanistan is considering it as “oppression of civilians." If talks do not work out, the situation may worsen – people on both sides are in fear. This situation is very delicate, let's see what happens.
