2022 Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan
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| Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan | |
|---|---|
| Location | Spera District, Khost Province Shaltan District, Kunar Province |
| Date | April 16, 2022 (15 Ramadan 1443 AH) 2:00–3:00 a.m. (AFT, UTC+04:30) |
Attack type | Airstrikes, rocket attacks |
| Deaths | At least 40 (Khost Province)[1] 5 (Kunar Province)[1] |
| Injured | 20 (Khost Province)[1] 1 (Kunar Province)[1] |
On 16 April 2022, overnight, aircrafts belonging to the Pakistan Air Force struck different parts of Afghanistan's Khost and Kunar provinces, close to the border between the two countries.[2] According to the Pakistani media and some Afghan media outlets like Bakhtar News Agency, the airstrike targeted militants belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.[3][4][5] However, according to the local Afghan Taliban officials, the aircrafts struck several villages in Khost and Kunar provinces, killing over 40 civilians, including women and children, and injuring over 20 others.[1][6] Currently, there is no official confirmation of the death toll.[7]
The airstrikes were conducted around 2 and 3 a.m. in the early morning, when people were preparing for the pre-dawn meal during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting.[8] The airstrikes were in retaliation to a terror attack on a Pakistani military convoy in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan the previous day, which killed seven Pakistani soldiers.[9] Additionally, according to some reports, Pakistani soldiers had also clashed with Taliban forces at around 9 p.m. on the same night in Khost's Gurbuz District. Two Taliban militants were killed in the clash.[10][2]
Casualties
According to Afghan media, in Khost Province, the airstrikes took place at several villages in Spera District, including Pesa Mela and Mirsapar, and struck refugee camps belonging to internally displaced persons from Waziristan, killing at least 41 civilians and wounding over 20 others.[8][1][11] According to Rasool Jan Mashal, a tribal elder in the area, as well as several Taliban officials in Khost, the people who were killed or injured were all civilians.[12]
In Kunar Province, the attacks took place in the Chogam village of Shaltan District, killing three girls, two boys, and one woman, and wounding one man.[13][8][14][15]
Reactions
Afghan government
An Afghan official in Khost, on condition of anonymity, said "Pakistani helicopters bombarded four villages near the Durand Line in Khost Province. Only civilian houses were targeted and there were casualties."[16]
Najibullah Hanif, the acting provincial head of the Afghan information and culture department, acknowledged that "five civilians" were killed in the night attacks in Kunar Province. He said "Pakistani forces have been shelling the area using heavy artillery for the past three days on Marawara, Shaltan, and Nari districts [in Kunar Province]."[1]
The acting Afghan Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that he summoned the Pakistani ambassador in Kabul, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, after the airstrikes and gave him a diplomatic démarche.[17] "All military encroachments including those in Kunar and Khost provinces must be prevented as acts as such will deteriorate bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Deterioration of relations will have dire consequences," Muttaqi said.[18]
Zabiullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesman, warned: "[The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] calls on the Pakistani side not to test the patience of Afghans on such issues and not repeat the same mistake again, otherwise it will have bad consequences."[19][20]
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the airstrikes, and called it "a violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty, a violation of international norms, and a crime against humanity."[21]
Pakistani government
The Pakistani media claimed that the attacks targeted Pakistani Taliban (TTP) militants in Afghanistan, but the Pakistani government and the Pakistan Armed Forces did not comment on the attacks.[3][4]
The Pakistan embassy spokesman in Kabul denied there had been any airstrikes in Afghanistan, and said that the ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan and Taliban authorities discussed a resolution of border issues.[7]
United Nations
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan stated "UNAMA is deeply concerned by reports of civilian casualties, including women and children, as a result of airstrikes in Khost and Kunar provinces last night. Civilians are never a target."[19]
Protests
Hundreds of civilians took to the streets in Khost to protest against the incident, chanting "Death to Pakistan."[19]
In Kunar Province, residents expressed their "dissatisfaction about the Taliban’s silence on the attacks," and said the Taliban should act as soon as possible.[13]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Pakistani rocket fire kills 45 Afghans, say Taliban". Daily Sabah. April 16, 2022.
- ^ a b "Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan's Khost, Kunar provinces, at least 30 killed". India Today. April 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Lalzoy, Najibullah (April 16, 2022). "Pakistan's Airstrikes on Khost, Kunar Provinces Killed Nearly 40 People". The Khaama Press News Agency – via www.khaama.com.
- ^ a b "Pakistan 'looking into reports' of strike into Afghanistan". Pakistan Today. April 16, 2022.
- ^ "IEA, Pleads Resolution Between TTP & Pakistan Government Through Negotiation". Bakhtar News Agency. 16 April 2022.
Meanwhile, last night, Pakistan targeted airstrikes in parts of Mir Safar and Kurai areas of Khost province, on 20 TTP members in Kunar province, and parts of Paktika province.
- ^ "Taliban Condemn Pakistan for Alleged Cross-Border Attacks in Afghanistan". VOA. 16 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Taliban authorities summon Pakistani envoy to protest military strikes". Reuters. 16 April 2022.
- ^ a b c Mal, Qazafi (April 16, 2022). "Casualties as Pakistan pounds civilian homes in Khost, Kunar" – via pajhwok.com.
- ^ "Pakistan bombs Afghan border areas after attack on convoy, civilians dead". The Print. April 16, 2022.
- ^ "Local Sources: Airstrikes by Pakistan Army Kill 30 Civilians in Parts of Khost Province". Hasht-e Subh Daily. 16 April 2022.
- ^ "په خوست کې د پاکستاني الوتکو بمبارۍ درنه مرګ ژوبله اړولې". Deutsche Welle (in Pashto). April 16, 2022.
- ^ "Witnesses Say Dozens Killed In Pakistani Air Strikes On Eastern Afghanistan Region". RFE/RL. April 16, 2022.
- ^ a b "Airstrikes by Pakistan Army on Kunar Province Kill Five Members of a Family". Hasht-e Subh Daily. April 16, 2022.
- ^ "Afghan officials confirm Pakistan airstrikes in Khost, Kunar provinces". Asian News International. April 16, 2022.
- ^ "Taliban warns Pakistan after alleged rocket attacks kill children, woman". TRT World. April 16, 2022.
- ^ "Afghanistan summons Pakistan ambassador to protest airstrikes". Arab News PK. April 16, 2022.
- ^ Sail, Abdul Raqeeb (April 16, 2022). "Airstrikes in Kunar, Khost: Kabul summons Pakistan envoy" – via pajhwok.com.
- ^ Lalzoy, Najibullah (April 16, 2022). "Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry summons Pakistan's Ambassador". The Khaama Press News Agency – via www.khaama.com.
- ^ a b c "Taliban Condemn Pakistan for Alleged Cross-Border Attacks in Afghanistan". VOA.
- ^ "Don't test Afghans; there will be dire consequences: Taliban warns Pakistan after airstrikes". Asianet News Network. April 16, 2022.
- ^ "Hamid Karzai condemns civilian killings in Pak airstrikes in Afghanistan, calls it 'crime against humanity'". Asian News International. April 17, 2022.