Tensions flared up in the South Asian region as Pakistan initiated airstrikes in the border areas of Afghanistan, resulting in the reported deaths of at least eight civilians, including three children.
The airstrikes were confirmed in the Khost and Paktika provinces by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who expressed concern over the potential repercussions, warning that such actions could spiral out of Pakistan's control.
Reports from TOLO News indicated that the Taliban retaliated by targeting Pakistani military installations with heavy weaponry in response to the attacks on Afghan soil.
Mujahid detailed that the airstrikes, commencing at approximately 3 a.m. local time, targeted civilian residences in the Barmal district of Paktika province and the Afghan Dubai area of Sepera district in Khost province.
Labeling the airstrikes as a violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty, Mujahid emphasized that Pakistan should take responsibility for its internal issues rather than blaming Afghanistan.
The airstrikes were purportedly a response to last week's attack by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Pakistani troops in the Mir Ali region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The attack resulted in the deaths of seven soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel and a Captain, drawing condemnation from Pakistani leadership.
In a stern vow of retaliation, President Asif Ali Zardari asserted that Pakistan would respond forcefully to any incursions or acts of terrorism within its borders, regardless of the perpetrators' origins.
Contrary to reports of TTP commander Abdullah Shah's demise in the airstrikes, Mujahid clarified that Shah remains in Pakistan, refuting the allegations through a viral video where Shah himself dismissed the propaganda against him.
The TTP, also known as the Pakistan Taliban, emerged in 2007 and operates along the porous border with Afghanistan, although the Taliban denies providing them shelter.
Responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Pakistan, targeting both military and civilian entities, the TTP continues to pose a significant security challenge in the region.
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