RASC News Agency: A recent airstrike by the Pakistani military on Barmal District in Paktika Province has claimed the lives of over fifty individuals and left dozens injured. Ahmad Saeedi, a political analyst, told RASC News Agency that the attack also caused extensive destruction, with several homes completely leveled. He confirmed that more than forty people were killed and dozens injured in the assault. Saeedi further revealed that Sadiq Khan, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan affairs, had recently visited Kabul for discussions with the Taliban. However, he left abruptly without holding any negotiations.
Saeedi highlighted growing tensions between Pakistan’s military and its civilian leadership. He explained that while the Pakistani government advocates for dialogue and peaceful resolutions to ensure stability on both sides of the border, the military categorically rejects negotiations with the Taliban or other terrorist groups operating within Pakistan. Instead, the military considers military action the only viable solution to these challenges. The analyst asserted that the Pakistani military is resolute in achieving its objectives through force, employing ground and aerial strikes against Taliban strongholds, despite objections from the civilian administration. According to Saeedi, these actions are part of the military’s broader strategy to assert dominance and pursue its institutional interests.
This airstrike in Barmal District is not an isolated incident. In recent years, the Pakistani military has carried out similar operations across the border. Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob had previously issued warnings, stating that repeated Pakistani incursions would prompt retaliatory measures. However, Saeedi criticized the Taliban’s inability to respond effectively to Pakistan’s aggression. He remarked, “The Taliban are incapable of taking any practical measures against Pakistan’s military, resorting only to rhetoric.” Meanwhile, Abdul Hafiz Mansour, a senior member of the National Resistance Front, disclosed that the Pakistani government has frequently approached resistance leaders, seeking their collaboration in combating the Taliban.
