RASC News Agency: Local sources in Paktika province report that a series of Pakistani military airstrikes on the Barmal district has left an entire village destroyed and caused the deaths of dozens, including women and children. According to witnesses, as of Tuesday evening, December 24, Pakistani fighter jets targeted at least seven villages in Barmal. In the village of Laman, five members of a single family, including women and children, lost their lives. Similarly, the Margh Bazaar area of Barmal saw the complete destruction of a village.
The death toll is feared to rise as local residents continue to recover bodies from the rubble. Eyewitnesses claim the bombings were conducted by Pakistani fighter jets, which remain active over the skies of Khost, Paktia, and Paktika provinces. Social media accounts affiliated with Pakistan have confirmed the airstrikes and released video footage of the attacks. Despite the gravity of the situation, neither the Taliban regime nor the Pakistani government has officially commented on the incident.
This deadly escalation comes in the wake of a visit to Kabul by Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan. On Tuesday, December 24, Sadiq held meetings with the Taliban’s ministers of interior and foreign affairs, emphasizing bilateral cooperation and regional stability. However, shortly after these discussions, Pakistani airstrikes targeted multiple locations in Paktia and Khost. Following the bombings, the Pakistani military issued a statement claiming that the strikes were aimed at dismantling hideouts belonging to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). According to the statement, four TTP bases were destroyed, and several militants were killed.
The airstrikes mark a significant escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled regions, raising serious concerns over the safety of civilians and the region’s stability.
