India Condemns Pakistan Airstrikes in Afghanistan
The government of India has condemned recent airstrikes by Pakistan inside Afghanistan that reportedly killed civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure, according to a statement issued Saturday by India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Foreign Ministry, said the strikes represent “another aggressive action by Pakistani institutions that remain hostile to the idea of an independent Afghanistan.”
He added that India once again stresses that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan must be fully respected, calling on all sides to avoid actions that could further destabilize the region.
Pakistan carried out the airstrikes on Thursday, targeting locations in four Afghanistan provinces including Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia Province and Paktika Province.
According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, at least four civilians were killed and fourteen others, including women and children, were injured in the strikes in Kabul, while no casualties were immediately reported from the other provinces.
Pakistan said the strikes targeted “terrorist facilities,” claiming that the sites were linked to militant groups. However, Afghan authorities rejected the claim and said civilian infrastructure had been damaged.
Officials in Taliban-run Afghanistan said a fuel depot belonging to the airline Kam Air in Kandahar was hit during the attack. The airline later confirmed that the fuel storage facility targeted in the strike belonged to the company.
Tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban administration have increased in recent months, largely over security concerns along the border and Islamabad’s accusations that militant groups operate from Afghanistan territory.
Recent clashes along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border have further strained relations, with both sides reporting casualties and accusing each other of initiating attacks in disputed border areas.
Taliban authorities claim their forces have responded to Pakistani military actions along the frontier, while Pakistan insists it is targeting militant networks that threaten its security.
The post India Condemns Pakistan Airstrikes in Afghanistan appeared first on Khaama Press.