Tensions flared across South Asia as India vehemently denounced Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghanistan, calling them a ‘reckless’ violation during Ramadan. The Sunday morning assault claimed 17 lives, mostly women and children, and left six missing, intensifying an already fraught border dynamic.
MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal’s statement was unequivocal: India condemns these strikes outright, viewing them as Pakistan’s desperate bid to mask internal shortcomings. ‘We stand firmly with Afghanistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence,’ he added.
The strikes hit purported TTP hideouts in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. Pakistan’s military, via Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on X, boasted of dismantling seven terror camps based on solid intel. Afghan authorities, however, decried the collateral damage.
Zabihullah Mujahid, Afghan spokesperson, vented on social media: ‘They targeted our innocent people last night, resulting in dozens dead and injured, including women and kids.’ This has prompted Afghan vows of retaliation, edging the rivals closer to open conflict.
India’s response carries weight, given its investments in Afghan reconstruction and opposition to cross-border terrorism. The incident exposes the perils of unilateral actions in a terrorism-plagued neighborhood.
As recriminations fly, the strikes underscore unresolved grievances from past incursions. Diplomatic efforts now focus on de-escalation, but with trust eroded, the path to stability remains steep. Global powers, including the UN, may need to intervene to avert a larger crisis.