At least 36 civilians, including children, killed in Pak airstrikes in Afghanistan; Taliban summon Pakistani envoy

At least 36 civilians, including children, were killed after Pakistani aircraft launched airstrikes in different parts of Afghanistan on Friday, media reports claimed.

Following this, Taliban authorities on Saturday summoned Pakistan`s ambassador in Kabul to protest against military strikes in Afghanistan’s Khost and Kunar provinces by Pakistani forces.

Pakistan, however, denied it carried out the strikes and claimed that militants carry out attacks inside Pakistan by crossing its lawless western border with Afghanistan. Taliban authorities say they have controlled the attacks since taking over the country in August last year.

A statement from Afghanistan`s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Pakistan`s Ambassador in Kabul had been summoned over the recent attacks in Khost and Kunar provinces and given a diplomatic demarche to deliver to Islamabad.

“Military violations including those in Khost and Kunar must be prevented as such acts deteriorate relations … allowing antagonists to misuse the situation leading to undesired consequences,” the statement quoted acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as saying.

The statement did not elaborate on the nature of the strikes, but a local Taliban leader in Khost, Mawlawi Mohammad Raes Helal, said two districts were bombed by Pakistani helicopters and that 36 people had been killed.

There, however, was no official confirmation of the death toll.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, there have been numerous standoffs along the 2,600 km border with Pakistan – drawn by British colonial rulers and disputed by Kabul. Increasingly frustrated by continuing militant attacks, Pakistan`s military has stepped up operations along the Afghan border in recent months.