The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense strongly reacted to the overnight Pakistani airstrike on Barmal, Paktika, stating that the attack would not go unanswered, emphasizing that defending their land and sovereignty was their legitimate right. The Ministry added that the “Waziristani refugees” were targeted in the bombing.
Pakistani officials have not yet confirmed the airstrike, which occurred just hours ago. However, security sources close to the Pakistani military told reporters that the airstrikes targeted border Taliban hideouts.
Pakistani Taliban have increased their attacks on Pakistani security forces. Pakistani officials have claimed that the Afghan Taliban is not cooperating with them to curb the attacks by Pakistani militants.
Enayatullah Khwarazmi, a spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Defense, denied the claims made by Pakistani security sources. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he stated that “civilian people, mostly Waziristani refugees,” were killed in the airstrikes.
While no exact casualty figures were provided, Khwarazmi mentioned that “several children and other civilians were martyred and wounded” in the attack. According to sources, 15 bodies, including women and children, have been retrieved from under the rubble so far, and the death toll might rise.
The Taliban considers the Waziristani refugees to be ordinary civilians from the tribal areas who had been displaced due to military operations by the Pakistani army. However, the Pakistani government claims that dozens of TTP commanders and fighters have fled to Afghanistan and are being protected by the Afghan Taliban in border provinces.
Tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan continue to escalate, especially over the presence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan’s southern provinces. While Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring TTP militants, the Taliban rejects these claims, insisting they are not collaborating with the group. This ongoing conflict has led to growing frustrations, with Pakistan’s military actions further complicating the situation.
The Afghan Taliban’s denial of Pakistani assertions about the TTP’s presence and their reluctance to cooperate with Pakistan in dealing with these militants is fueling the diplomatic tensions. Until both sides find common ground, the situation remains volatile, with the potential for further military clashes and an unstable regional security environment.
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