Official Pakistani government statements, major news outlets

Pakistan's Airstrikes in Paktika Province Kill 46 as Taliban Vows Retaliation

Dec 25, 2024, 11:31 AM

Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Tuesday night targeting four locations in eastern Afghanistan's Paktika province, resulting in at least 46 deaths and six wounded, mostly women and children, according to Taliban government officials. The strikes in the Barmal district targeted Waziristani refugees and occurred during a high-level Pakistani delegation's visit to Kabul. The Taliban condemned the attacks as a "clear aggression" and vowed to retaliate. The Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan's chargé d'affaires in Kabul to protest the violation of Afghanistan's airspace. Deputy Afghan government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat confirmed the death toll. A Pakistani security official stated that the airstrikes, which involved the use of drones, targeted "terrorist hideouts" and dismissed claims that civilians were killed.