Pakistan Air Force airstrikes kill 30 civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa village

At least 30 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the wee hours of Sep 22 in an airstrike by the Pakistan Air Force on Matre Dara village in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Eight LS-6 bombs were reportedly dropped from JF-17 fighter jets at around 2 am, local media and reports said.

The strike caused widespread destruction in the village, which is predominantly Pashtun. Large parts of Matre Dara were reportedly devastated, and rescue teams are searching under rubble for further survivors.

Local reports indicate that the air force was targeting hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group in the area. However, all those killed, as stated, were civilians.

Several people were injured in the attack, although their conditions remain unverified and details are still emerging.

The incident adds to a pattern of frequent military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against militants in the border areas. In recent days, Pakistan’s military claimed to have killed seven TTP fighters in an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan district. Earlier this year, multiple clashes and counter-terror operations were reported in the province.

Authorities have not confirmed whether this strike will be followed by an official investigation or published report verifying the exact number of casualties or the presence of militants.

As of now, the feedback from local and regional government sources has been limited, with most information derived from local media and preliminary reports.