RASC News Agency: A week after Pakistan’s military conducted an airstrike on Paktika province in Afghanistan, India has broken its silence, condemning the attack and calling it a violation of civilian rights. While the Taliban initially reported 46 fatalities in the strike, Pakistan claimed the operation targeted a TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) camp, asserting that the casualties were members of the militant group. In response to the strike, Taliban forces launched an assault on Pakistan’s border troops. However, following a swift counteroffensive by the Pakistani military, the Taliban retreated, abandoning six border outposts.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the airstrike in Paktika’s Bermal district as an assault on “innocent Afghanistani civilians.” The ministry condemned the action in strong terms, marking a rare international reaction to the incident. Shri Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, issued a statement today Monday, January 6, declaring, “We unequivocally condemn any act of violence targeting innocent civilians. Such actions undermine regional peace and stability.”
Pakistan, however, maintains that the airstrike specifically targeted TTP operatives. In contrast, India’s statement characterized the victims as civilians. Jaiswal further remarked, “This is yet another example of Pakistan’s longstanding practice of deflecting its internal failures onto its neighbors.” India’s condemnation is notable as no other country has yet denounced the airstrike. Meanwhile, domestic critics of the Taliban have blamed the incident on the group’s policy of providing safe haven to terrorist organizations, arguing that such actions have made Afghanistan vulnerable to external aggression.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the TTP of instigating violence within its borders, describing the group as a primary driver of insecurity. Islamabad asserts that its military actions are justified, given the alleged presence of TTP operatives in Afghanistan territory. In recent days, senior Pakistani officials have warned of further military operations if threats originating from Afghanistan persist. The escalating tensions underscore the fragile security dynamics in the region and highlight the challenges of maintaining stability under the current circumstances.
