Pakistani airstrikes kill nearly 20 in Afghanistan, Taliban vows retaliation

Pakistan launched a series of airstrikes targeting Afghanistan’s Barmal district in Paktika province on the Dec 24 night, killing at least 20 people, including women and children.

The death toll is expected to climb as rescue efforts continue, according to reports by Khaama Press — an online news service covering events in Afghanistan.

The strikes hit seven villages, including Laman, where five members of a single family lost their lives. Pakistani jets were responsible for the bombings, with Murg Bazaar village bearing significant destruction, media reports said.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense condemned the airstrikes and vowed retaliation.

. “Defending our land and sovereignty is our legitimate right,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that "Waziristan refugees" were among the victims.

Official casualty figures have not yet been disclosed, but at least 15 bodies have reportedly been recovered.

The airstrikes occur against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly over the presence of militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghan territory.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters, who have increased attacks on Pakistani forces in recent months. In response, the Afghan Taliban denies these allegations, asserting that civilians, not militants, were targeted in the latest strikes.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers this a brutal act against all international principles and blatant aggression and strongly condemns it,” said the Afghan Ministry of Defense. “The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered but rather considers the defense of its territory to be its inalienable right,” it added.

Islamabad contends that many TTP leaders and fighters have fled to Afghanistan, finding refuge in border provinces under Taliban protection. Afghan officials, however, have refuted these claims, stating that the victims of the bombings were primarily displaced civilians.

The strikes came just after Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, visited Kabul for discussions on trade and bilateral relations. The timing has fueled speculation about a deterioration in diplomatic ties between the two neighbors.

The TTP, which ended a ceasefire with the Pakistani government in November 2022, has intensified its attacks on Pakistani security forces. These attacks have killed and injured dozens of soldiers in recent months, heightening security concerns in Islamabad.