Pakistani aviation launched strikes on areas along the border with Afghanistan, marking the first serious escalation after several months of relative calm between the two countries, reports the BBC.
Illustrative photo. Photo: Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Image
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that "targeted strikes" hit four facilities that Islamabad claimed were used by armed groups. Pakistan claims 26 militants were killed. According to the country's authorities, the operation was a response to recent terrorist attacks on Pakistani territory. Among the targets were bases, a training center, and ammunition depots.
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the strikes were carried out on the territory of the Afghan provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika. According to him, 13 civilians were killed as a result, including 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man.
Pakistan has long accused Afghan authorities of harboring groups on its territory that organize attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban government denies these accusations and claims that Afghanistan does not allow its territory to be used to threaten other states.
Last October, the parties agreed to a ceasefire after a series of bloody border clashes. Relative calm continued until the latest events, although isolated incidents on the border continued to occur.
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