18 Killed As Pakistan Army Plane Crashes Into Residential Area 1

UN: Over 20 Children Killed In Pakistan Airstrikes

The United Nations in Afghanistan on Thursday confirmed that it received credible reports that dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistanโ€™s Paktika province.

The UN statement said Tuesdayโ€™s airstrikes were a violation of international law and called for an investigation.

โ€œInternational law obliges military forces to take necessary precautions to prevent civilian harm, including distinguishing between civilians and combatants in operations,โ€ the UN statement added.

The UN Childrenโ€™s Agency (UNICEF) said that at least 20 children were killed in the attack.

โ€œChildren are not and must never be a target,โ€ UNICEF South Asia Director Sanjay Wijesekera said on X.

Afghan authorities reported that at least 46 civilians were killed in the airstrikes. The victims were said to be refugees from the Waziristan region in Pakistan.

Afghanistan had summoned Pakistanโ€™s top diplomat in Kabul to protest the attack.

The Pakistani diplomat was handed a โ€œserious protest noteโ€ informing Pakistan that the protection of Afghanistanโ€™s territory is โ€œa red lineโ€ and that such โ€œirresponsible actionsโ€ will have consequences, the Afghan foreign ministry said.

Pakistan claims that the airstrikes targeted suspected Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant hideouts.

The TTP is a militant group that has been responsible for numerous attacks in Pakistan.

Islamabad claims that the TTP is hiding on Afghan soil, a claim that Kabul denies.

NAN

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