Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – India strongly condemned Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province that reportedly killed 46 people, including women and children, on December 24. The incident has drawn widespread criticism, including from the Taliban administration and international organizations.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, in a statement on Monday, expressed India’s concern over the incident. “We have noted the media reports on airstrikes on Afghan civilians, including women and children, in which several precious lives have been lost,” Jaiswal said. India “unequivocally condemns any attack on innocent civilians” and accused Pakistan of habitually shifting blame onto its neighbors for its internal challenges.
The Pakistani military, defending the strikes, described the operation as targeting “terrorists” based on “solid evidence.” However, the Taliban administration accused Islamabad of violating Afghan sovereignty while hypocritically claiming to pursue peace.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that it had received credible information confirming the deaths of dozens of civilians in the airstrikes, further escalating international outrage.
In response to the attack, Kabul lodged a formal protest, summoning Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires and vowing to hold Islamabad accountable for what it termed a “cowardly act.” The Taliban administration has pledged to respond to the incident, heightening tensions between the two countries.
